The trouble with spells
by ilovetf
Summary: A new werewolves pack in town are after the Michaelsons. The Mystic falls gang find themselves in the middle of it all. A spell gone wrong and Caroline is forced to spend time with Klaus. The story takes place after episode 1 of season 4. All feedback is welcome. Good or bad!
1. Chapter 1

**I started this fanfic after episode 1 of season 4 aired. Then I kind of gave up on it but have now decided to give it another try. Guess I'm missing Klaroline too much now! ;)**

**Anyway, the story follows everything that happened up until that episode with the only difference that Klaus saved both Caroline and Rebekah from that van.**

Chapter 1.

Caroline sat at one of the Grill's tables, her chin resting on her hand as she smiled at Tyler from across the bar as he made his way to her with two drinks in his hands. As always on a Friday night, the place was filled with people, chatting, dancing to the loud music, drinking and playing pool.

When he was a couple of tables away, a man came from his left side and with her vampire hearing could clearly hear him ask, 'Tyler? Tyler Lockwood?'

She studied the man, in his late twenties, brown hair, tanned skin, tall and muscled as Tyler nodded his answer.

'My name is Tony...I was very good friends with your uncle Mason...I was very sorry to hear of his death.' _A werewolf then?_

She heard Tyler reply something under his breath and slowly she stood up and walked up to them.

'...and this is my girlfriend, Caroline.' Tyler introduced her as he handed her, her drink. 'What brings you to Mystic Falls?' he then asked the stranger.

Tony put his hand out to shake hers, then abruptly retreated his hand, frowning heavily at her.

'Your girlfriend?' He asked, his dark eyes staring down at her with...disgust!f? 'That is...wrong in so many ways.'

'Excuse me?' Now it was Tyler's turn to openly frown on him.

'You don't even know me!' Caroline bristled with a gasp.

'I know your...kind and that's enough for me.'

Caroline gasped again! This had to be some kind of record, five seconds and she already hated this man!

'Now listen, man...'

'They are our enemies...how can you be with one of them?' He asked, now very clearly that disgust coloured his voice, as he shook his head.

'Your good friend, Mason, used to go to bed with one of my _kind_!' The vampire hissed under her breath.

Tony snorted, 'And look what it got him!'

'Hey, listen,' Tyler tried again, 'you don't know us or anything about us, we are...'

'Why are you justifing yourself to him?' Caroline turned her frown on Tyler now, 'our life doesn't concern him!'

'She's right,' Tony agreed, 'Her life is no concern to me,'

Tyler took a step closer to the man, 'What's that supposed to mean?'

'Just what I said.' He turned to leave but Tyler stopped him, 'You came to me for something, what was it?'

'I was going to ask for your help...but you're obviously not going to give it to us.' He gave another side look to Caroline.

'What kind of help?' Tyler asked again. 'And who is us?'

'My pack.' He turned to leave once more but suddenly he stopped and looked back at Tyler, 'I'm going to give you a fair warning. One,' He put out his fore finger, 'out of respect for your uncle, stay out of our way and no harm will come to you...I'm afraid I can't say the same for her.'

'Are you threatening her?' Tyler instinctively put his body in front of Caroline's but she hissed at the man from behind Tyler's shoulder.

'You're lucky we're in a public place, mister!'

His lips tilted from one side in a hint of a smile. 'We can go out if you wish.'

Tyler squeezed her hand to quiet her before she retorted.

'You didn't answer me, why are you here? What do you want with her?'

'Not with her specifically.' He answered quietly.

'You just said...'

'We're here for the Michaelsons.' He replied in the same quiet tone, 'And as I'm sure you're aware, once they die, all vampires die with them.'

Caroline couldn't help chuckling under her breath and even Tyler relaxed his stance at the man's words.

'You're here to kill the originals?' He asked the older man. 'I'm sure _you're_ aware that a werewolf's bite doesn't harm them.'

Tony just smiled and said nothing. A touch of unease prickled Caroline's insides at that mysterious smile.

'I think _we_ should give _you_ the fair warning of telling you, you will die before even getting close to Klaus or one of the other originals.' Caroline smirked at the man.

'Klaus, the blond one, right?'

Caroline couldn't help laugh again as she shook her head, 'I have to say, I've heard Klaus being described in many ways but never as merely 'the blond one'.'

Tyler looked the other man in the eye, his look serious, 'Tony, believe me, you don't want to go down that road...we have tried to get rid of them but...'

'Then it's time for you to step aside and let us handle them.'

And before they could say anything else he walked away from them, leaving them to stare at each other.

An hour later.

'How did he know you were a vampire?' Elena asked her friend from where she stood sitting next to Stefan at the Salvatore's house.

Caroline shrugged, 'He just looked at me and knew!'

'But I don't think he knows I'm a hybrid.' added Tyler from the other sofa, 'he talked to me as if I was...still just a wolf...'

'Yeah,' Caroline interrupted him with a scoff, 'he said we shouldn't be together cause we're enemies!'

'And he said they were going to kill the originals?' Elena asked again.

Tyler nodded, 'Do you think we should warn Klaus?'

'What the hell for?' Damon, who had been standing near the unlit fireplace with a drink in his hand, asked with his usual smirk.

'Maybe because if he dies, we all die?!' Tyler answered back.

'Wait,' Damon moved closer to the sofas, 'does anyone here really think that this pack, could really be a threat to Klaus? From what you said this guy doesn't even seem to know Klaus is the original hybrid.'

'Damon's right,' Stefan said quietly, 'we possess the only weapon that can kill an original.'

'I say let them try,' Damon drawled, before taking a large gulp from his glass, 'I'm all for less werewolves in this world.' Then seeing Tyler frowning heavily at him he added, 'What?! If they want to go on a suicide mission, it's not our problem!'

'What is a problem to us, is the fact that_ we _are not immune if we get bitten.' Caroline retorted back.

Stefan nodded, 'She's right, and since I'm sure none of us would look forward to having to go ask Klaus for his blood if that happens...I say we check them out, see how many they are, and if they are a real threat.'

'And ripping their hearts out of their chests while checking them out would be even better.' Damon finished his drink and turned for a refill not seeing that Tyler's hands had balled in fists at his words. He got up from the sofa, but before he could take a step forward, Caroline got in front of him, 'It's late, let's just go.'

Tyler stared for a long moment at Damon's back and then nodded reluctantly and with a short goodnight to Elena and Stefan, took his girlfriend's hand and walked towards the door.

'You're an ass.' Caroline whispered angrily to Damon before closing the door behind her.

'What's their problem?' Damon's eye brows shot upward at seeing them leave so abruptly.

Elena rolled her eyes while Stefan sighed softly. 'You killed his uncle that way.'

Damon looked upwards as if trying to remember, then smiled, 'Right, I did.'

When the two vampires that remained in the room just stared at him, he frowned, 'He can kill them another way if he's too sensitive about it.' And rolling his eyes, turned back to his drink.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2.

Next Monday afternoon, Caroline was walking towards her car in the school park, very glad that her last lesson was over, when she noticed Klaus leaning against his own car, a few spots away from hers.

She bit on her lower lip for a few seconds before making up her mind and walking towards him, 'Hey.' She said when she was almost next to him.

'Hello to you, love.' His lips widened slightly, his gaze warm as usual for her.

'What are you doing here?' She asked, her arms holding her text books to her chest.

His head tilted to the side as he studied her face, 'Picking up Rebekah.'

'Really? Never took you for the doting big brother type.'

His eyebrows went up. 'You'd be surprised.'

'Yes, I would.' She agreed.

He chuckled under his breath. 'What are you doing here?'

'I go to this school.' She answered with a big 'duh' stamped on her face.

His lips tilted higher, making his dimples appear, 'I meant here...talking to me.'

'Oh...' She frowned slightly, searching for an answer but then he was talking again.

'Does this mean, you finally accepted that my taking over Tyler's body, saved your lives?'

She glared angrily at him. 'You really want to bring that up?!'

'It was...fun.'

'Not for me!' She fumed back.

'Oh, come on love, I could have let you have your way with me, without saying anything... your mouth kept me busy enough.'

'Shut up!' She shrieked, 'I thought you were Tyler!'

'Still...'

'Still nothing! You know I thought I was kissing Tyler, the man I love, not you! _Never_ you!'. She scoffed at him.

A flash of an emotion passed through his eyes for a second, it was gone so fast that she couldn't tell if it was anger or something else.

'You'll break those books if you hold them any tighter.' He remarked quietly, as if she hadn't just been shouting at him.

She looked down and realised that her fingers had turned white from the grip she kept on the books. She made her hands relax, hating that he could rile her up so easily while he remained seemingly untouched by anything she said.

'Didn't mean to make you so angry, love, I'll do as you wish and not bring it up again.' His voice sounded sincere but she didn't trust him, and in fact his next words confirmed her mistrust, 'Shall we kiss and make up?' He chuckled, his eyes full of mirth.

She rolled her eyes and sighed heavily. 'Not funny.' She said under her breath which made him chuckle some more.

She thought about leaving but she hadn't asked him what she needed to know yet. She debated what to do, her lower lip was once more between her teeth as she looked at him and his blue eyes looked at her questioningly.

'Did you know there's a werewolf pack in town?' She finally asked.

His eyes widened slightly at the unexpected question, 'Of course. I know everything, love.'

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes again, even as her mind battled inwardly about what more to say. Again he was the one to speak,

'Worried about them?'

'No.' She immediately denied.

'You should learn to lie better, Caroline...it's quite useful, you know.'

She shook her head slowly at him. 'I'm not worried, I'm just...'

'You just have to avoid going in the forest during full moon.'

'The forest? Is that where they're staying?' She asked.

He nodded once then added. 'Any way, there's no reason to worry, if something bad did happen, you know I'll be more than happy to share my blood with you again.'

She scoffed at him again and turned to leave. She quietened the small voice in her head that was urging her to tell him what that man, Tony, had said.

'What? Wait! You're just going to leave like that?!' He moved away from his car and took a step towards her.

'That's as much as I can stand being next to you.' _And I have what I came here for._

'Ouch...that's harsh, love.' He made a pained face, 'A softer heart than mine, would be in shambles right now.'

'That would imply you have a heart to start with.'

He clutched at his shirt on his chest as if he was in deep pain, 'Do have mercy!'

She pivoted making her hair fly around her face and giving him her back started walking towards her car, when suddenly she felt his body behind hers, and his lip grazed her ear as he whispered to her, 'As always, it was a real pleasure seeing you, sweetheart.'

Her back straightened and her hands clutched the books hard once more as his voice brought an involuntary shiver down her spine. Her head darted sideways and their gazes locked.

She wished she could come up with a smart quip but her mind blanked as his eyes slowly moved from her eyes to her lips.

'Is it me, or is it suddenly very hot out here?' Rebekah's voice coming from out of nowhere made Caroline jump.

The original vampire girl, stood looking at them with an annoyed look on her face.

'Hello, sister.' Klaus smiled at her, his body not moving an inch from behind Caroline's.

Not daring to look at Klaus again, Caroline walked abruptly away and hurried towards her car but not before she heard Rebekah's words as she got in her brother's car.

'You know I'm still angry with you, for leaving me in the middle of the road and going off with her.'

'I was in Tyler's body. It was already quite odd that I took the time to save you at all.'

'She still realised it was really you, right?'

He laughed under his breath.

'Why don't you just compel her and...get it over with.'

'Where's the fun in that?' Klaus smirked in reply.

Caroline's eyes narrowed in anger.

'So it's just the chase that drives you?...I truly, don't get it, Nic, what you see in her.'

Caroline found herself straining her vampire hearing to listen to the answer, but Klaus chose that moment to start the car and whatever he replied was lost among the engine as it purred to life and the music coming out of his radio.

She didn't really care to know, she told herself as she tossed the books on the passenger's seat and started her own car.

Later that night.

'We really shouldn't be here...or better, you shouldn't be here!' Tyler frowned at his girlfriend, while trying to pay attention to where he was walking. Just like with her vampire senses his wolf ones made being in the dark as comfortable as if it was daylight, but he was trying to be as noiseless as possible, so he was avoiding twags and small branches that could crack under his weight.

'Stefan said we should check them out, and that's what we're doing!' Caroline answered back, her eyes watching her own steps.

'Then_ I _should have come in the morning.' He stressed the I purposely. 'Even if they saw me, I would have invented some excuse.'

'Relax!' She hissed, 'It's still a couple of days before full moon...we check how many they are, maybe see what they're doing...'

'We should have told the others!'

'Seriously? You wanted Damon to come too!?'

He sighed heavily but they both knew she had won the argument.

'We don't even know if we're going the right way.' He said a couple of minutes later.

'Everyone needs water, so the creek is the best guess...wait...I heard something.'

Both stopped to listen, and after a moment Tyler sniffed and nodded, 'A fire...food being cooked...'

They started walking again and soon after, they could see the fire light through in trees in front of them.

They stealthily walked further on and hidden in the shadows, crouched behind a centuries old tree, studied the area in front of them.

Four campers and a big tent were situated in a small meadow. A fire had been lit a few metres away and five people were gathered around it.

'Where are the others?' Caroline whispered.

'What do you mean?'

'Five people don't need four campers and a tent, there are more.'

Almost as if she had been heard, a man and two women came out from one the campers and joined the others.

'There still could be more.'

'And I don't see Tony.' Tyler said as he moved to stand behind another tree.

Suddenly both their heads turned to look behind them. 'Someone's coming!' Caroline whispered, turning widened eyes on Tyler.

'Who's there!?' A voice asked, sounding loud in the quiet around them.

'Get up the tree, as high as you can!' Tyler whispered urgently.

'I'm not leaving you alone!' She hissed back.

'I can take care of this, just go! Now!' Taking her by the arm, he tried to haul her up, but she didn't need his help as with one jump, she grabbed a thick branch and using her speed and strength moved up the tree.

When she looked down, she could partially see Tyler's head from among the leaves, then gasped as Tony with two werewolves in wolf form came out of the trees. She quickly climbed a little higher and prayed they wouldn't smell her from up here. She looked at the moon for confirmation, even if she knew that it wasn't full yet. _How was that possible? _She stilled completely and listened to what they were saying.

'What are you doing here?' Tony asked calmly.

'Are they hybrids?' Tyler asked instead of answering, his tone shocked, as he looked at the two wolves growling, one at each side of Tony.

'No.'

'That's impossible! It's not a full moon yet!' Tyler's voice sounded even more shocked. Caroline knew she was just as stunned, also because these two wolves seemed so well behaved. She remembered with fear Tyler's transformation and how he completely lost control of himself in wolf form that he would have killed her if she hadn't run away.

'You should know that nothing is impossible in our world.'

'Magic?!' He whispered.

'We ask the questions here. What are you doing here?'

'I...I was curious about your pack,' Tyler responded, his voice calm too, 'I've met a few werewolves some months ago and I decided to see if there was anyone I knew with you.'

'Was that when you broke your sire bond?'

Tyler's gasp muffled Caroline's as she put a hand to her mouth.

'You...you know I'm a...'

'A hybrid? Of course we do...I think it was very coragious of you to go through that pain so as not to be Klaus's puppet anymore.'

_Who were these people and how did they know so much?_

'Then why did you say you were going to ask for my help?' Confusion could be clearly heard in Tyler's voice, 'You knew I would never help you kill Klaus.'

'You could...breaking the bond means that when he dies, you won't.'

'What?!'

Caroline's legs almost slipped from the branch she was on. She looked down, terrified that they had heard her, but luckily Tyler was talking again.

'How...there's no way you could know something like that?'

'We just do.'

Tyler snorted loudly. 'Excuse me, you really expect me to take your word on that, and what? risk my life and then see if it's true?!'

'You...' Suddenly Tony stopped whatever he was going to say, 'It's no use talking about it anyway...you still won't help us because of your...girlfriend.' He sighed heavily, like he couldn't hide his disappointment, which made Caroline's lips twitch. 'Anyway, you know noone from my pack, so I suggest you leave now.' He made a small movement with his head and the two wolves at his side, sprinted in different directions. The blond vampire watched them disappear among the trees.

'Where did they go?' Tyler asked but he got no answer, instead Tony turned to leave.

'Wait! You're not going to tell me anything more?! Like...like how you think you could kill the originals?'

'Go home, Tyler.'

'No wait! Please! Maybe I could still help...we could make a deal.'

There was silence for a few moments. 'What kind of deal?' Tony finally asked.

'You tell me how you intend to do it, and I...I could help you kill...the other originals...if you let Klaus live.'

Caroline shook her head at Tyler's words. _What was he trying to do?_

Again there was silence from Tony, but then Tyler spoke again, 'Let's go to your camp, take a beer...discuss it some more...what have you got to lose?'

_He's clearing the way for me so I can leave._

Tony must have agreed cause Caroline watched them as they walked towards the werewolves camp, quickly getting out of sight. She waited a few moments and then came down a few branches. She stopped and listened for any sound. When she couldn't hear anything she came down the rest of the way until the first branch.

An owl hooting from nearby was the only thing she could hear, so she jumped the small distance and landed at the foot of the tree. She debated about waiting for Tyler here, but realised it would be too dangerous, so instead she vampire-sped away. When she decided she had put enough distance between her and the camp, she stopped and resting against a tree, texted to Tyler that she was waiting for him. She put her cell phone in her jeans back pocket and pushed her hair away from her face.

A small shuffling sound caught her attention. She didn't see anything in the dark as she looked around her, but a second after she told herself she could relax, two golden eyes appeared and a low growl chilled her to the bone before she had even seen the grey wolf that appeared a few metres away from her.

Before she had time to think if she should run or climb a tree again, the wolf was already halfway in the air, springing on her. She screamed as she moved sideways to avoid it but then a dark silhouette flashed in front of her. A small yelp, like a puppy's was all the sound it made, before she heard bones breaking and the wolf landing with a thud on its side, on the dried leaves on the ground.

'Thought I told you to stay away from the forest, sweetheart.'

'Klaus?!' She gasped, her eyes darting from the still body of the wolf at his feet to the original hybrid in front of her.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3.

'Is it dead?'

'Of course.' He answered sounding almost offended that she could doubt it.

'There was another one.' She informed him as she looked around her, expecting it to come out any second just like its friend had done.

Klaus calmly took out his cell phone, 'Check the area.' Was all he said before putting it back in his jacket pocket.

'Who is with you?'

'One of my hybrids.'

'What...why are you here?' She could still feel the rush of adrenaline pumping through her veins.

He frowned at her. 'Calm down, love, you're safe now.'

'Are we?' She whispered as words from the conversation between Tyler and Tony kept coming in her head.

His frown became more pronounced, 'What is it about this pack, that has you so worried?'

Her mouth opened but she didn't know what to say.

'Your interest in them, intrigues me, but we'll talk about it later...come on, I'll take you home.'

'No!' She shook her head, 'I have to wait for Tyler.'

His chin came out, and his eyes sparkled angrily. 'Are you telling me he left you out here alone with werewolves around?!'

For a moment she was stunned to silence as she took in not just the anger in his voice but the concern too.

Then her own protective instinct kicked in. 'He went to their camp, so as to free the way for me to leave.'

He sighed. 'Why are you still here then?'

'I told you. I'm waiting for him.' Suddenly she grabbed her cell phone and texted Stefan a short message, writing were Tyler was and that they could need back up, if he didn't return.

'He's one of them, they won't hurt him. You can wait for him at home, let's go.' He made a motion with his head but she didn't move a muscle.

'Don't you find it a bit...strange, that it's not full moon but there are wolves around?' She asked, pointing at the dead wolf.

'I've seen it before.'

'You have! Where? When?'

'All right, love, now you're going to tell me exactly what...'

He suddenly turned as a loud growl broke the silence around them.

'Don't move...' He whispered to her.

She stilled behind him, as she looked at the wolf that had appeared. His fur was a light brown, with the expection of his left paw which was white. His eyes were gleaming yellow but she kept looking at his sharp teeth, bared at them. Saliva dripping from its big mouth.

Klaus and the wolf seemed to be looking in each other's eyes. She would never admit it out loud, but his presence made her feel safe, like she knew for sure he would never let that wolf get to her. But she couldn't help wonder if maybe Klaus was in danger too, and should she say something right now!

The wolf's growl was low but unstopping. He lowered his front legs and she knew it was getting ready to spring, she was surprised it hadn't done it yet, like he was assessing what to do first!

'You'll never have her...leave.' Klaus voice was calm, commanding.

In answer the wolves eyes seemed to gleam brighter as with a pounce it leapt on Klaus, who was too fast for it and moved out of its way, only to kick him on his side a fraction of second later, making him fly metres away. Once more, Klaus took his place in front of Caroline but the wolf was already attacking him again. Klaus jumped over him exposing Caroline to the wolf but before it could attack her, Klaus hit him once more. The wolf was up and hurling itself on Caroline again a second later with the hybrid deflecting him. It was almost a dance the way they turned around each other, one assessing the other, but then Caroline moved slightly from behind Klaus and put out her hand to grab a fallen branch and suddenly the wolf was right on her. Klaus grabbed her and pushed her out of it's way, and the wolf's teeth sunk deep in his right calf instead. Caroline watched as they both rolled on the hard ground, Klaus grabbing the wolf's by the mouth and with a fast hard twist broke it's neck. It's body went slack over Klaus and he kicked him away.

'Damn it!' He swore under his breath.

'Oh my God, he bit you!' Caroline rushed to his side, fear written all over her face.

'Yeah,' The hybrid admitted, 'a good pair of trousers, ruined!' Then looking straight in her eyes he asked, 'Are you hurt?'

She just shook her head at him unable to speak.

He frowned at the panic in her eyes, as she looked at the wound on his leg, that was oozing blood from the deep dents left by the wolf's teeth.

'It's nothing, love, I'll be as good as new in a few minutes.' When she just stared at him, the panic making her breath come out in short puffs, he added with a small smile, 'Dare I believe, you're concerned about _me_?!'

When he was met by silence again, he got up, brushing his clothes, and seemingly totally obvious to the wound in his leg, he grumbled something about being surrounded by fools, took his cell phone out again.

He swore again when whoever should be answering his call, didn't.

'So, you're okay?' She whispered.

'Sweetheart, I'm the original hybrid.' Was his proud answer.

She sighed in relief. When she had been bitten by Tyler she had felt the pain immediately. Whatever plan Tony and his pack had to kill the originals it had nothing to do with them being bitten it seemed. Or more simply she had been worrying for nothing and there was nothing they could do to this family, and therefore to the rest of them.

'Can we go now?' He asked impatiently.

'You can go if you want, I'm waiting for Tyler.' She got out her phone and texted a simple SOS to Tyler. They had to leave before the pack realised that two of their own were dead.

'Are you always this stubborn?!' He shook his head, and with a loud sigh sat down at the foot of one of the trees.

She hurried to him, hunching down to his side. 'What is it? Are you feeling unwell?'

'If I say yes, can we leave?' He raised his eyebrows at her, making her frown deeply at him. 'This bitch stings!' he added nodding towards his wound.

'No one is asking you to stay!' Even as she uttered the words, she realised how ungrateful they sounded, it was thanks to him if she was still alive.

'I didn't mean...'

He raised his hand to silence her, his eyes hooded, 'I'm not here just for you...that incompetent isn't answering his phone!'

'Do you think...could he be...'

'He's one of them.' He answered back, knowing the word she wasn't saying.

'They attacked _you_.'

He shook his head. 'I was protecting you, keeping him from killing a vampire.' Suddenly his lips pulled back over his teeth in a grimace.

She bit her lip as she watched his face, 'Does it hurt very badly?'

'I said I'm fine, why do you keep asking me the same thing?'

'Because...' She stopped and just shook her head, _he said he was fine, stop worrying!_

'Well?' He tilted his head to one side as he waited for her answer.

'I didn't mean to sound so ungrateful just now...' She said instead, '...thank you for saving my life.'

He smiled softly. 'It's becoming quite a habit, love...what was this? the fourth time?'

She scoffed loudly. 'Considering that the first time was your own fault that I needed saving at all, I wouldn't count it!'

His smile grew wider, his dimples appearing on his cheeks.

'What are you smiling about?'

'That night,' he replied softly, 'I have...a fond memory of it.'

The admission stunned her. 'Why?'

'You should try to find a way to thank me...properly.' He said, ignoring her question. He chuckled as the look in her eyes told him exactly what she thought of his preposition. 'No?...I guess I'll have to make do, with knowing you're safe.' His eyes went back to his cell phone as he pushed a button once more so he didn't see the way her lips parted in surprise or her eyes softened at his words.

He puffed impatiently at the still no answer and she lowered her eyes, afraid of what he could read in them.

'Your leg's still bleeding.'

He winced again then frowned at his wound. 'Happens where there's a wound...even to me.' He said quietly.

He tried to pull his leg up to check it better but he growled in pain and stopped. 'Bloody hell!'

'Are you...are you feeling weak?' She whispered.

'Again with the questions!' Suddenly he seemed to read something in her eyes, 'Do you know something I don't?'

She wet her lips, 'This pack...I don't trust them.'

'Why not?'

Hurried footsteps over dead leaves could suddenly be heard, and Tyler appeared from behind a tree.

'Thank God!' Caroline hurried to him, hugging him.

'What the hell is he doing here?' Her boyfriend, frowned at Klaus, as he tried to stand up. He swore again harshly and sat back down.

'He saved me!' Caroline pointed at the dead wolves, 'They attacked me and he...helped me.'

'Are you okay?' Tyler asked urgently, and she nodded. 'but Klaus' been bitten.'

'What?' Tyler shrieked turning widened eyes on his sire, 'No, no, no...my God...'

'What the hell is wrong with you?' Klaus snorted at him but Tyler ignored him and turned to Caroline instead,

'Call Bonnie, tell her we need her help. Now!'

The feeling of dread that had been in the pit of her stomach since the attack, flooded in all her body. 'Why?' she whispered, almost afraid to ask, 'What's wrong?'

'I'd like to know that too, mate!'

'Call her!' Tyler shouted at his girlfriend, who took out her cell phone and punched her friend's number.

Klaus got up holding fastly to the tree. 'Answer me!'

Tyler swallowed hard. 'You're...you're dying!'

Caroline gasped out loud, her eyes wide in her face while Klaus just barked a laugh, 'Are you crazy?!'

Bonnie answered on the first ring.

'Bonnie! Where are you?'

'At my gran's house, we all are! We decided this is the closest we could be if you needed us! What's going on?'

Caroline tried to shut out Klaus angry voice as he kept asking questions that Tyler was ignoring as he listened to the phonecall too.

'Are you ok guys?'

'Yes, we'll be there soon...Bonnie...this is serious!' Caroline added before hanging up and turning back to Tyler.

All of a sudden Klaus grabbed Tyler by his neck, and pushed him hard against a tree. ' . Now.'

'We have no time!' Tyler tried to release himself from his strong grip while Caroline shouted to let him be.

When Klaus just tightened his hold in answer, Tyler gasped out, 'They have a witch. It's thanks to her that they can change without the need of the moon!'

'So what?'

'She also...she also spelled them...she had original blood which she spelled and then made them drink it so...so she made it so that...that the originals aren't immune to their bite!'

Caroline's eyes flew to Klaus' leg, the hem of his pants drenched in blood.

Klaus released Tyler, who stayed leaning against the tree, rubbing his neck. 'That is impossible.'

Tyler shook his head, 'I'm afraid not! We have to take you to Bonnie now, she's the only one who can do something...also because it's too dangerous to stay here any longer, they had already began to worry about their friends not returning to camp!'

Caroline took a step closer to them. 'He's right Klaus and you know it.'

Klaus looked intently in her eyes. 'You were aware of this...that's why of your behaviour...'

'There's no time for more words, come on!' Tyler moved next to him, 'I'll have to carry you, running on it will make you lose more blood.'

'What?!'

'We'll carry him together, we'll go faster that way!'

'No way!'

'Shut up, Klaus and for once just listen!' Without waiting for any reply, Caroline took Klaus arm and put it around her shoulders.

Tyler did the same with the other arm. 'We'll take the longer route, and retract our steps a few times...we have to confuse them iin case they follow our scent.'

Caroline nodded and immediately they sped away.

As they ran, Caroline paid attention to not touch Klaus wounded calf. She could feel his body hard against her side and even more she could feel his angry eyes on her face. She knew why he was angry, this was all her fault.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4.

Caroline and Tyler stopped a few meters in front of the cabin that had belonged to Bonnie's grandma, releasing their hold on Klaus.

The door opened a second later and Damon and Elena came out.

'What the hell is he doing here?' Damon asked in an obviously annoyed voice. His eyes narrowed as he saw Klaus hobble on one leg.

'He's been bitten by a wolf.' Caroline whispered.

Damon smirked, 'And we should care because?'

'Because it's killing him...and us with him.' Tyler admitted. 'Let's get him to Bonnie!'

Damon smile died at Tyler's words but he frowned at the young hybrid. 'What the hell are you talking about? You're still believing that pack?'

'Tony wasn't bluffing! Let's get inside...I'll explain...we did our best not to be followed but I'm not sure.'

'Where's Stefan?' Elena asked looking at Caroline. 'He came looking for you after your call.'

Her friend shook her head, 'We didn't see him.'

Elena turned worried eyes on Damon even as she took out her cell phone. 'He's not answering...Damon?' She said a few seconds later.

'Calm down, Elena, I'm sure he's fine...' When he saw she was about to protest, he added, 'If he's not back in five minutes, I'll go look for him, ok?'

Caroline couldn't help notice how his eyes softened when he looked at Elena to reassure her, and the dark haired girl nodded slowly.

Klaus had walked slowly towards the cabin as they stood talking. 'I'm waiting for an explanation, Tyler!'

Bonnie appeared in the doorway in that moment. 'Invite me in.' He ordered quietly.

Her eyes flew to Caroline, who nodded. 'Fine. Come in.'

He dragged his wounded leg behind him but when he tried to cross the threshold, a gust of strong wind pushed him back forcefully, almost making him fall.

'Not funny, lass.' He growled.

Bonnie's chin jutted out, 'That's not me. The spirits don't want you here.'

Damon chuckled under his breath. 'Seems I'm not the most hated one around here anymore.' He raised his eyebrows as he made a big show of going over the threshold then turned to look at Klaus from inside the house, with a happy smile on his face.

Caroline looked at the witch. 'Bonnie, please!'

Bonnie sighed then closed her eyes, she chanted something and another gust of wind blew at her from behind, ruffling all her hair then it stilled suddenly.

'Try now.' She said to Klaus.

'Try?' He repeated angrily.

He left little drops of blood behind him as he took the remaining steps inside the cabin.

Angry whispers and hissing filled the room.

'You've got my same fans, I see.' Damon's lips tilted to one side in a smirk, as he saw Klaus look around him.

'Go sit down...you need to rest your leg.' Caroline moved nearer to him as she had followed him inside.

He openly frowned at her, before he moved towards a sofa near the window. He put his wounded leg up then turned to glare at the four beings in the room.

'How long have you known about this pack? And why do you believe them?'

Suddenly the door opened and Stefan came in. 'There you are!' He exclaimed when he saw Tyler and his girlfriend.

Elena rushed to his side and put her arms around him. 'Why weren't you answering your phone, I was so worried.'

'The pack is out there, looking for tracks...there's two werewolves and a hybrid, all dead.'

Klaus hit the cushion next to his hand with an angry fist, 'I'll kill them all!'

'I should have confused the tracks enough so they shouldn't come here.'

'Will someone start answering my questions!' Klaus growled heavily.

'I already told you what I know.' Tyler replied. He repeated what he had said about the witch and the original spelled blood to the others.

Bonnie went up to Tyler. 'Let me get this straight. This witch, had blood from the original family, which she spelled and then gave it to this pack to drink so...so now this pack's bite is lethal to that same blood?'

'You think it's possible, Bon?' Elena asked her friend.

Bonnie looked at her, her eyes a little wide. 'I don't know, I mean the original blood is the strongest vampire blood there is, it was created with the help of magic, so if this witch found a way to use that very same magic...then I guess it's possible...and so Klaus can't heal himself from this venom...it's genius really...or at least that's what I think she did.' she paused and frowned slightly, almost as if she was creating possible spells in her mind.

'Yeah, yeah, we'd all give her a round of applause if she wasn't killing us with him.' Damon frowned at Bonnie, who sighed and continued,

'And if she really did this, then she's one very, _very_ strong witch with dark and ancient powers, not to say that she has deep knowledge of you, the original family.' The last part she said looking at Klaus.

'Did they say whose blood it was they had?' Klaus asked Tyler.

'No.' Tyler shook his head, 'They were spelled before they came to Mystic Falls...and the witch told them she had it for many, many years but that it didn't matter whose it was, you're siblings, you share the same blood!'

'Who the hell is this witch and how come she had your blood?' Damon frowned at Klaus, 'And why are we believing her...them?!'

'I believe him! He knows too much!' Tyler looked at all of them. 'Tony said...the bite will work like it does with other vampires, fever, hallucinations but...it won't stop bleeding, so as to weaken them and eventually...die from too much loss of blood...it will be like they got desiccated.'

All eyes turned to Klaus wound, his pant crimson.

'I don't remember mine bleeding that much...or Rose's.' Damon admitted.

Caroline sighed, 'Neither did mine.'

'Okay, then the first thing to do, is find a way to stop the bleeding and...feed him blood to replace what he's losing.' Bonnie looked at each of them then turned to Tyler again, 'Did they say how long it would take?'

'I told you, they said it would act like any other bite.'

'Tyler,' Klaus growled at his hybrid, 'How come they were so generous with this information with you?'

'I said...I said that I would help them.'

'So they still don't know you're a hybrid?' Stefan asked.

'No, they've always known...they also know I broke the bond, they think highly of me for that, so...I told them...I would help them kill...the other originals if they left Klaus live.'

Klaus was over him in a second, clutching his throat in his grip. 'You little bastard.'

Both Caroline and Stefan rushed to stop him. They dragged him away and back to the sofa.

'I had to say something, or they would never have told me anything!' Tyler defended himself.

Damon crossed his arms in front of him, 'Anyway, they obviously didn't accept your offer cause they bit him.'

'No.' Caroline denied his words, 'that happened because of me.'

'Ohh figures...' Damon shook his head at Klaus, 'Still trying to get in her pants I see.'

Caroline gasped out loud while Tyler shot an angry look at the older Salvatore.

'What?!' Damon widened his eyes on Tyler, 'All I'm saying is that it's a high price to pay for a...'

'Shut up Damon!' Elena shouted at him. 'This is not helping!'

Again Klaus sped up from his place to attack Damon this time, only Stefan got in between them before Klaus could touch him. Klaus frowned, obvious surprise in his eyes.

'Yes, seem your reflexes aren't as fast as usual...a symptom you're really getting weaker.' Stefan told him quietly.

'Watch it!' Klaus warned Damon before moving away.

'Okay, this is what we're gonna do...' Stefan looked at each one of them but was immediately interrupted by Klaus.

'This is my life, I get to say what we do!'

Damon snorted, 'No, this is _our_ lives, and soon you'll be too weak to stand up, much less to tell us what to do!'

'I'm afraid he's right, so...' Stefan looked at Klaus, '_this_ is what we're gonna do.' He turned to look at the witch, 'Bonnie, you must try to find something to break this spell, anything...Tyler, you must go back to them tomorrow morning, pretend to know nothing of what happened ...they most probably will assume that hybrids killed the wolves and since you were with them, they won't have any reason to suspect you, talk to them, find as much as you can about this witch and anything more that can help us...we,' he turned to Damon, 'will try to find information our own way.'

'He will need blood.' Elena said looking at Klaus.

Stefan nodded, 'I have some bags in my car, I'll get them...what are you doing?' He then asked Klaus as the original hybrid took out his cell phone.

'I'm calling Rebekah...'

Stefan grabbed the cell phone from his hands in a flash, 'No, too dangerous...' When Klaus tried to get up again, he added, 'If you tell her, she could decide to take matters in her hand and they'd realise that if she knows, then Tyler talked.'

'I need to warn her.'

Damon sighed, 'We'll take care of her.'

Klaus snorted in disbelief, and reached for his cell again, 'I'll call my hybrids then, they won't ask questions, just obey me.'

Stefan nodded slowly and gave him back his phone and Klaus told whoever answered to protect Rebekah at all times and to keep an eye on the new pack in town and that he'll call back soon. Stefan put out his hand, obviously wanting the phone. Klaus narrowed his eyes on his former friend.

'You really think you can keep it, against all of us?' The younger Salvatore asked.

Klaus handed him the cell phone. 'Watch your moves, Stefan, you won't always have the upper hand.'

'We should also avoid coming here, unless it's an emergency,' Stefan continued as if he hadn't heard Klaus' words, 'in case they start following us...if they realise Klaus is here and he's hurt...' Stefan didn't finish but they all knew what he meant.

'Let's get you in the other room.' Bonnie told Klaus, then turned to the others. 'I can't take care of him and research too.'

'I'll stay and help.' Caroline offered.

'No!' Tyler protested with a frown.

Klaus smirked as he walked slowly towards the next room but said nothing while Caroline took Tyler's arm and walked a few feet away. 'It's the least I could do...this is all my fault.'

'No, it's not!'

She sighed heavily, 'I need to do something...and they'll trust you more if I'm not with you...'

Tyler lowered his eyes to the floor. 'I don't like this...'

'Neither do I...but our lives are at risk here.'

That seemed to convince him cause he reluctantly nodded.

Stefan left and returned with three blood bags which he gave to Bonnie while Elena hugged her. 'If you need anything just call me...we'll be researching too at the Salvatore's library, we could find something there.'

Caroline hugged Tyler tightly and whispered to him to pay attention and to call her with any new information. A moment later Caroline and Bonnie were alone and went into the bedroom after Klaus.

Bonnie immediately moved to a wardrobe on one side of the room and took out some bed sheets. 'Cut them in bandages,' she told Caroline, 'for now, old fashioned ways will have to do.' Her friend took them from her and taking one side of the sheet tore them in half, then starting tearing them in narrow straps. She worked automatically, her mind in turmoil. She couldn't believe all that was happening! All of their lives were in danger, they could all die...because of her! Bonnie took some of the bandages and moved towards Klaus who had seated himself on the bed.

'I'll do that...mom taught me first aid, years ago.' Caroline offered. Having said that, she pulled the trouser pant up and taking one of the sheets that hadn't been torn up yet, she cleaned the wound as best she could. Angry red marks were already spreading from the cuts in the flesh. The veins under the skin were spreading out from the dent marks like roots from a tree. Klaus hissed once between his teeth.

'Do they ever shut up?!' He suddenly asked Bonnie pointing upwards with his finger, obviously asking about the whispering angry voices he kept hearing around him.

The witch put her hands on her hips. 'Why should they?! This is their home...you're the unwanted and unwelcome guest in here!...I'll start researching immediately...think you can manage here?' She then asked her friend.

Caroline nodded and Bonnie told her to call her if she needed anything then left to go in the other room where her computer and books were.

Blood kept trickling from the wounds and she tied it as tight as she could. When she finished she looked up to find Klaus with a smile on his face looking at her.

'Have to say, that I never imagined my night to end with you playing nurse with me.' He raised his eyebrows suggestively.

'Seriously?' She sighed heavily. 'You feel like joking in a moment like this?!'

'What moment?' He asked, 'I don't care what you all think or what that pack thinks, I'm not dying.'

'Why is that?'

'Because I'm the immortal original hybrid, that's why.' He said between his teeth.

'Then why are you here?'

He sighed softly, 'I didn't say this wasn't a problem, I said I'm not going to die...call Bonnie back.' When she just stared at him, he added. 'Remember what I said? I've seen this before.'

The vampire girl gasped and a second later rushed out to call her friend.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5.

'What do you know? And why didn't you say something before?' Bonnie asked furiously but both girls were staring angrily over him from the edge of the bed.

'When?' He asked with a fake smile, 'While Stefan was busy acting all mighty?'

Bonnie sighed, 'Just tell me what you know.'

'Eastern Europe, mid fifteenth century. Elijah and I were at a...party,' he smirked as he said the word, 'we thought we were all vampires but suddenly wolves turned right there in our midst and...killed most of the vampires present.'

'You? Did they attack you?'

'Never even came close.' He shook his head, 'That was what was so curious about the whole thing, they seemed to know, we were out of their league, we just walked out.'

'You didn't try to help?' Caroline asked him. His answer was a look that totally said 'not my problem'.

'Anyway,' he turned his attention back to Bonnie, 'Elijah was quite taken with what happened so he made inquiries and investigated...I remember him being gone for days and then when he came back he mentioned having followed the tracks of some witch but she kept eluding him until she fled the city for good but...I didn't really care, so you should ask him for more details.'

'And how are we supposed to do that?' The blond girl asked.

He looked at Bonnie. 'I'm sure Stefan left my cell phone with you, right?...just in case.' He smiled again, 'Call Elijah...tell him what's going on, ask him what he knows...cause while I'm sure it's not the same witch from back then, it's surely the same magic and since you say it's so powerful not many witches would be able to wield it or know how to use it.'

'So most probably it's a descendant?' Bonnie asked and Klaus nodded.

'But what about the originals' blood?' Caroline asked with a frown.

He frowned back at her. 'First we find her, then I'll pull the whole story out of her along with her heart. Call Elijah.'

Bonnie narrowed her eyes on him. 'No, I can't...for the same reason we can't tell Rebekah...'

'Fine,' he sighed, 'then don't mention me, just call him and ask for his help, he knows I owe you one from last time.'

Bonnie frowned in thought for a moment, 'I'll call Stefan first.' And with a nod to Caroline left the room.

Noting that small red spots were already visible on the bandages, Caroline took one of the blood bags, opened it and gave it to Klaus.

Silently he took a large gulp then grimaced, 'Tastes of plastic.' He grumbled before giving it back to her.

'Drink it all, you need it.' She told him, nodding towards his leg.

He sighed heavily but took the bag back and drank it all, his eyes turning red while veins became visible under his skin around them. She took the empty bag and moved from the bed to throw it away.

Bonnie returned a few minutes later, saying that she had talked to Stefan but Elijah wasn't answering his phone and would try again later.

'I'll go get started then.'

'Wait, Bonnie.'

She turned to the hybrid, her eyes wary, 'What now?'

'Nothing much,' he said with a small smile, 'just a small reminder, to stick to just breaking _this _spell and nothing else...it would be a shame if something happened...to your mother.'

Caroline gasped, 'What?!' while Bonnie moved over the bed, 'What does that mean?'

'Nothing,' he repeated, 'just an insurance...the phone call I did earlier, the number I used is a code alert for my hybrids, if I shouldn't call or return in...an amount of time, they will...kill your mother.'

Caroline's hands flew to her mouth. Chanting voices could suddenly be heard all around the room and the lights flickered on and off, Bonnie tilted her head up and her hands fisted but before she could say a word, Klaus loud voice stopped her,

'Calm down, there's no need for that!' He hissed as he got up from the bed, while he glared angrily all around the room, as if he could see where the voices came from, then his eyes stopped on the black haired girl, 'as I said that's just an insurance, you do _only_ what you have to do, stop all this, and your mother will be just fine...if not...well I guess, she just dies with the rest of your friends.'

'You're despicable!' Bonnie hissed in his face before turning and leaving.

'There was no need to do that!' Caroline frowned heavily at him as he sat down on the bed again.

'On the contrary, love, there was every reason to.'

'We're trying to help you!' She spat at him, as she walked closer to his side.

'Says the girl who was part of the group that stopped my heart, merely weeks ago,' he spat back at her, 'I'd be a fool if I didn't protect myself, and I assure you, a fool I am not.'

'Get your damn leg up!' She said leaning down and angrily pulling his leg up on the bed. He inhaled a deep breath between his teeth but didn't say anything.

The bandages were showing more blood stains but she was too angry to care just now, so once he was lying down again, she left the room without a second glance at him.

She went to Bonnie who was reading something from her laptop.

'I'm so sorry, Bon, he's...' Words failed her and she just shook her head, while putting a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder. 'Did you call your mom?'

Bonnie pressed her hand against hers. 'What for? Just to worry her? No...what he said doesn't really change anything...I mean she'll still die if I don't solve this problem anyway.'

'But he didn't need to...'

Bonnie looked down for a second, 'I have to admit that the thought did cross my mind.'

The vampire's eyes widened on her friend's face.

'Think about it!' Bonnie whispered very low, 'when where we ever gonna have him in such a vulnerable position again? I feel bad knowing I have to stop this witch great work! I thought maybe I could find something to...but of course that devil is always a step ahead.'

Caroline squeezed her shoulder one last time before saying, 'I have to go change his bandages.'

'Already?!'

The blonde girl nodded with a sigh, 'He's losing a lot of blood.'

'Feed him more, and tighten the bandages as much as you can...I'll call Stefan and tell him we'll need more blood sooner than we thought.'

Her friend nodded once more and left the witch to her research.

She returned to the bedroom and walked towards the bed only to stop abruptly at finding Klaus...asleep. She took another step forward and looked at his face, yes, he was asleep. _He must be feeling weaker than he's letting on _she thought with a small frown or he never would have let down his guard this way. He obviously didn't trust them, his blackmail to Bonnie was proof enough of that...and she had to admit to herself he was right not to!

What did it say about her that her only thought had been to really help him while Bonnie and maybe even the others had seen it as a possibility to stop him once and for all?

_Could she be softening towards him? _She asked herself as her eyes went over his features slowly. Since the day she met him, this was the first time she could look at him without that all knowing gaze of his, looking back at her.

_No, _she assured herself, _it's just guilt, _she feels responsible because of what happened. _And he's got ridiculously long eyelashes for a man! _She noted with a pout on her lips. Her gaze traveled from the curled golden lashes to his high cheekbones, the perfect nose and his beautifully shaped lips.

'You like what you see?' His blue eyes were suddenly open and alert, looking in hers, making her doubt if he had really been sleeping.

She scoffed loudly, 'I was just checking on you.'

'Checking me out, you mean.' He raised his eyebrows at her, a small smile on his lips.

She turned towards the bandages, refusing to banter with him, and grabbing a few, took a chair near his leg and started undoing the red stained bandage. He watched her work on his leg without a word, winced only once when she tied the bandage tightly on his wound.

'I will not apologize for defending myself.' He said quietly, his eyes on her face.

'Never expected you to,' She replied, her eyes on her work.

He moved his head slightly sideways, 'Your silent brooding seem to state otherwise.'

'It's her mother!' Her eyes shining bright with anger, met his.

'And this is my life.' He answered back, 'When you've lived as long as I have, you learn when you need to take dire actions to protect yourself...you can't expect that to change about me.'

'I expect no change from the devil.' She hissed removing her hands from his once more bandaged leg.

'And yet this devil, just saved your life once again.'

She lowered her eyes and leaned her back in the chair, 'Maybe you should have let that wolf bite me.'

'What?'

'Yes!' Her eyes met his, 'because by now, you would have given me your blood, and none of this would be happening...'

'Caroline,' He sighed her name, 'that wolf wouldn't have just bitten you, it would have killed you.'

She hit her hands on her thighs. 'Great! And now _everyone_ could die!'

'You know,' he frowned at her, 'If I was your friend in there, I would be hurt by your lack of trust in me.'

She got up and walked towards a nearby sofa. 'Didn't you hear her say, how powerful this witch is?'

'So are the Bennetts.' He answered. 'Remember how Bonnie brought me back.'

'I'd rather not.' She took a couple of cushions and put his leg up on them. She shrugged at the look in his eyes, 'Anything to slow the blood loss, right?'

He seemed about to say something else, when suddenly he frowned and looked at his hands, palms up in front of him.

'What is it?' She whispered.

'I had forgotten this feeling...'

'What feeling?'

His voice sounded baffled when he said, '...I'm cold.'

Her hand flew to his forehead, 'You're starting to run a fever.'

She took her hand away when she realized she was touching him and moved towards the wardrobe. She came back with a blanket which she put in his hands then taking the other end dragged it towards his feet. She turned to look at him to find his lips slightly parted almost in surprise at her gesture. 'You should rest, you'll need your strength.' Without looking at him, she then left the room.

'You look like an angel right now.' Klaus's voice made her look up from the huge old book she had perching on the window sill. The sun was streaming down on her, making her face and hair glow with light.

She put a strand of her hair behind her ear as she smirked, 'A fanged angel, that's something new!'

'Have I been out long?' He asked.

She shook her head, 'A few hours...How are you feeling?'

'Much the same.'

She rolled her eyes, she had a feeling that he would never admit how bad he felt, thus showing weakness, but she had been in the room with him and even while sleeping, he had gasped in pain every now and then.

'There's blood on your bedside...take it.' She motioned with her head on his right side. His eyes followed her movement.

'Interesting read?'

'Not really,' she shook her head again, 'I'm not even sure of what I'm seeing.'

'Latin, I presume...come over here, I can help.'

'Of course...you know latin.'

His answer was a small smile. She frowned at him debating what to do.

'I should change your dressings again.' She said looking at his once more blood tainted bandages.

'It can wait.'

With a loud sigh she picked up the leather bound book and moved towards the bed. She sat on the chair next to his wounded side. She was still too far away so she moved the chair closer.

She then tried to open the book so that they both could see but it was clear that it was going to be very uncomfortable to check the book out that way.

'Come to the other side.' He motioned the empty left side of the bed with his head.

She raised her eyebrows, 'I don't...'

'This is important, love, come on.'

For a moment she hesitated again. He wasn't going to try anything, and even if he did, she was stronger than him right now. Keeping her fingers between the pages so as not to lose the page, she moved to the other side. She sat on the bed but she was still too far away from him so she put her legs up and moved to the centre of the bed. She put her back against the pillows but sat rigidly straight. She paid attention that even if he was under the blanket while she wasn't, no part of her was touching him. _My God, why am I so nervous?!_

'Well?' He slightly frowned at her as she held the book still tightly to her.

She let out a nervous chuckle. _Get a grip, Care! _ She took a deep breath and opened the book, the pages thin and yellowed with age, so that they both held one side.

'Bonnie gave me these words to look for or...or a date.' She handed him the paper where the witch had scribbled a few key words to what she was looking for.

He briefly scanned the words then nodded.

She tried to concentrate on the foreign words in front of her but couldn't. _Damn it, he was ...sick, he shouldn't smell...good!_

They worked in silence for a few minutes. Their eyes going through the words. He was faster than her of course, cause he could actually read what was written. Her eyes followed his fingers as he turned the pages. He had beautiful hands, strong with short clipped nails. She frowned at herself, she should really stop noticing every detail about him!

Her body kept relaxing against the bed only to make herself straigthen up again.

She darted a side look at him and found him looking at her.

'You've been awake for over twenty four hours, you must be tired.'

'Not really.' She lied.

'Here,' he took the blood bag still half full from his bedside and offered it to her.

'No!' she refused, 'That's for you. You need it.'

'Drink.'

'You drink!'

He frowned deeply, a loud breath leaving his body and stirring her hair making her realise how close they were. When she just stared at him, he put the bag back in its place and turned to look angrily at her again.

'Stubborn girl.' He muttered to which she just rolled her eyes.

Slowly his gaze softened and he seemed to be taking his time studying her features. It was like he was touching her with his eyes alone and she forced herself away from his gaze and back to the book pages. After a long moment she could still feel his eyes on her and she looked up again, 'What?!' She tried to make her voice sound irritated as possible but it came out almost breathless.

'Nothing,' he shrugged slightly, 'I just like looking at you.'

'Well...well stop!' She looked down again hoping her hair was hiding her flustered eyes. His blunt honesty completely disarmed her.

He gave a small chuckle which was interrupted by a hiss of pain he in vain tried to hide.

She closed her eyes and sagged against the pillows as another burst of guilt filled her insides.

'What's the meaning of the first two words again?' She asked even if Bonnie had already told her, she just wanted to break the tensed silence.

'_Romanus_ that's Romania, and_ lupus,_ wolf.' He replied. He turned another page and with his eyes still scanning the words in front of him asked, 'If you could choose another country to live in, which would it be?'

The question surprised her and her eyes went up and met his. The sunlight coming from the window was making them look a clear blue. It also made the sheen of perspiration on his face shine starkly against the paleness of his skin. His hair was also wet at the temples and clung to his forehead and for a second found herself wishing she could put out her hand and push it away.

She lowered her eyes back to the book and shrugged, 'I never thought about it, but I guess ...somewhere in Europe...France or even Austria...oh or Italy...Venice.' She finished with a small sigh.

'I used to love Venice.' He said softly as he turned yet another page.

'Used to?'

'It's different now, still beautiful, mind you, only...before it was so much more...you could feel magic...mystery, in every narrow street, in every canal...'

Caroline sighed deeply and her head nestled against the pillow. 'Sounds beautiful.'

He nodded as he slowly turned another page. 'And during the carnival week...balls, masquerades, went on for days, and everyone wore these beautiful venetian masks...again it still happens, only then...at twilight you would take a gondola and it would glide on the lagoon, taking you almost to another world, no tourists taking pictures and disturbing every second...'

She closed her eyes and imagined the city as his words created it so vividly in her mind. She knew she should be concentrating on the book and helping Bonnie but his deep voice, his gorgeous accent...she could listen to him all day and never tire. She rested more comfortably against the pillows...

Someone was calling her name. She could hear it from somewhere nearby and she frowned and snuggled closer to whatever smelled good under her nose.

'What is it?' She grumbled as she heard her name again.

Something under her cheek, moved slightly. 'Bonnie is calling you, sweetheart.'

She opened her eyes and found Klaus face, mere centimeters away from hers. His eyes softly looking in hers. She blinked a few times and looked down.

Her head was resting on his shoulder and her hand was on his chest! She sped off the bed so fast she took the blanket with her.

She looked at it then at him. 'What the hell happened?!'

'Nothing, you just fell asleep.' He answered with a small smile.

'You...' She frowned heavily at him as if it was his fault, 'I was supposed to be helping Bonnie not sleeping in your...' Suddenly she threw the blanket at him and rushed out of the room.

**The paragraph that follows is from Klaus POV while Caroline was sleeping. I wrote it for my benefit cause it's the way I saw the complete scene going in my head but I decided to post it too, in case someone wanted to read it.**

He turned to look at her again but knew he would find her dozing. _So much for not being tired_! His lips went up at one side. She had been fighting a lost battle with the bed from the moment she had sat next to him.

But of course she would never admit to a weakness, which he wryly told himself, was something he could relate to.

His wound was throbbing like a two timing drum, he felt it in his ears, in his head, going on like an infinite tempo and the cold seemed to have seeped in his bones but to her he had lied of course. No reason to show more vulnerability.

He stared at her, just stared for a long, long moment. He knew he did it all the time even when she was aware and he didn't care. Why should he deprive himself from looking at what he liked?

And for some reason, he still wasn't even sure of, he really liked this young vampire. Yes, she was beautiful with her blond soft hair and her big blue eyes but in a thousand years he had had more than his share of women. Women so beautiful they literally blew his mind away, admittedly even more beautiful than this girl who now slept next to him, but still something strong drew him to her. And he didn't know if it was that fierce loyalty towards her friends, which was something he's always admired in people, or that 'light' she seemed to carry with her and shone in her smile or more simply maybe like his sister said, he just liked the chase, the fact that she resisted him, and his efforts to charm her.

And yet, yet he saw something in her eyes that called to him...making him sure she was worth pursuing...which was the reason he kept saving her, even if this time it meant that he had drawn the shorter straw.

Her head bobbed down and rested on his shoulder. She sniffed his shirt a couple times and gave a little sigh. He resisted chuckling as he imagined her reaction if she knew who she was snuggling to. Without thinking, he took the blanket from over him and covered her as well. She turned sideways and her hand went up to rest on his chest. His breath caught in surprise at feeling her touching him. A scent, kind of minty, reached his nostrils and he knew it was some product she used. He moved a little closer to her, his nose almost touching her hair and then winced as pain shot up his leg. He stilled. He had been so engrossed in her presence that for a moment he had been able to forget his wound.

Paying attention to not disturb her sleep, he went through the book pages faster as he sped read through it, not finding anything useful.

'Caroline.' Bonnie called her from the other room, 'Could you come here please?'

The blond vampire didn't even stir.

'Caroline?' The witch called her again louder. Klaus frowned at the direction of the voice.

He felt Caroline move next to him snuggling closer and then grumble under her breath.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

'Poor Bonnie, sometimes I forget she's human and therefore needs to eat regularly.' She came back in the room about half an hour later, avoiding to look at him. She couldn't believe she had actually fallen asleep in his arms! She had called herself all the names she could think of as she had prepared a sandwich for her friend. 'She also told me that she put a spell on the house...if the wolves or anyone else for that matter comes...they won't be able to see it...'

She knew she was blathering but for some reason she was nervous, and she also knew she ought to change his bandages but instead went near the fireplace and stoked the fire she had built while he had been sleeping.

'Mother...mother, is that you?' Klaus low whisper reached her ears making her freeze.

'Klaus?' She turned to look at him.

'Am I sick?...It hurts so bad, mother...make it stop!'

Her hand flew to her mouth, 'Oh my God...' _He's hallucinating_!

She slowly moved towards the bed.

'Where's Rebekah? Is she sick too?' His eyes were open, but they were glazed over. A sheen of sweat covered his forehead and under his eyes.

'Klaus?' She softly said his name again, 'It's me, Caroline.'

He blinked a few times, frowning slightly, 'I_ know _who you are.'

Suddenly his body started to shudder violently and he growled loudly.

'It hurts like the very devil!' He hissed between his teeth.

'I don't know what to do!' She admitted as she reached for the rest of the blood in the bag.

'Here,' she tried to give it to him but his hands were shaking so she put it next to his mouth and raised it slightly so he could drink. 'I'm...sorry.' She whispered, as drops of perspiration ran slowly down his face.

He seemed to give a little smile, and she realized that somehow her hand had found his and he now held it tightly.

A deeper growl escaped through his lips and he seemed to find it hard to breathe. His body shook hard with violent spasms, and he swore heavily at the pain. Then, like his body suddenly couldn't take it anymore, he collapsed on the sheets, unconscious, but still his fingers stayed entwined with hers.

'Bonnie!' Caroline started shouting loudly, 'Bonnie, come quick! He's...he's, I think...'

Her friend rushed in the room a second later. Caroline had a horrified look in her eyes as she looked from her to Klaus, 'I think he's...'

'Calm down, Care, he's not dead!' Bonnie firmly scolded her out of her panic, as she put her hand on Klaus forehead. 'We have to cool his body down, he's burning up. Open the window!'

The blond vampire ran to obey her.

'Come on, help me take off his shirt.' The witch called her back a second later.

She rushed once more to the bed, unable to speak and unbuttoned the shirt with frantic fingers, then Bonnie helped her pick him up from his shoulders so they could take it off him.

'Bring some cold water and a cloth.'

Again without a word she ran to do as bidden.

She returned a few moments later with what Bonnie had asked of her and she took a deep breath to calm herself as she could feel her hands trembling. She took everything near the bed and submerging the cloth in the cold water, she rinsed the excessive water and then pressed it to his forehead.

He started to trash on the bed moving wildly around.

'Calm him down or he'll lose even more blood!' Bonnie was at his wound, putting new bandages on.

She sat by his side. 'Klaus, Klaus can you hear me?'

His eyes opened and he stared at her. 'Mother?' he whispered.

She put the cold cloth to his neck and he sighed, closing his eyes again. But only for a second as the spasms returned and suddenly his hands wound around her forearms like vices as he screamed against the pain once more. Caroline tried to pry his hands away and her eyes widened,

'Oh my God, Bonnie...he's _turning_!'

For the first time Bonnie's eyes showed shock as she looked at her friend and then at Klaus's hands as they slowly started to change form. His nails, long and hard were stretching around Caroline's arms.

'Stop him!' The witch screamed.

'How?!' Her friend screamed back as she watched in horror, Klaus shoulders hunch forward.

'Talk to him, calm him down!' The witch tried to pin his legs to the bed, 'You have to reach him Caroline, if he turns he'll kill us both!'

The vampire dropped the wet cloth and took his face in her hands, ending up over him as his hands still kept pinning her arms down, 'Klaus, Klaus it's me, look at me!' She ordered him, her voice quiet but firm, 'It's me Caroline, you don't want to hurt me, I know you don't!'

Her hands caressed his face, her fingers pushing his hair away gently from his forehead. 'You have to calm down, Klaus, please look at me, please.'

His eyelids seemed too heavy for him to lift, but slowly he obeyed her. Blood shot yellow irises stared back at her. 'It's me, Caroline, I'm here, calm down, you have to calm down...'

He looked straight in her eyes, the pain in them so clear, she felt tears spring in hers.

'Shh it's okay...I'm here...' she talked softly to him, 'It's okay.'

His hands finally and slowly relaxed and when she looked at them they were human again. He collapsed back on the bed, totally spent. She passed a quick look of relief with Bonnie before picking the wet cloth again. Bonnie's hold on him relaxed and moved closer to her friend, who was bathing Klaus face.

She repeated the process a few times, passing the cloth over his neck, forehead and his chest. His skin was hot to her touch, but he had completely passed out and didn't move again.

'What the hell was that?!' Bonnie whispered under her breath.

Caroline just shook her head. 'What if it happens again and we can't stop him?'

But suddenly Bonnie was looking in space as a thought seemed to hit her and she had to concentrate only on it.

'What is it?' She finally asked when after long moments her friend still hadn't moved.

'Of course! Why didn't I think of this before!...I have to check something.' Was the witch's incoherent answer before she left the room.

The blood bag next to his head was empty, he must have drunk it while she hadn't been there. She took the last bag that remained and brought it on the bedside table, hopefully Stefan would be back soon with other blood she thought as she looked at his bandages which thankfully were still pristine, but she knew it wouldn't last.

'I may have an idea but I need to check it out first.' Bonnie hurried in the room, her laptop under her arm and a book in the other.

'Oh my God, that's great, what idea?!'

'Remember what Tyler said, that for the pack it didn't matter whose original blood they had cause they shared the same blood? Well, it's not totally true...I mean Klaus is only their half-brother technically!'

'So...' The vampire frowned at her.

'So that could be the key to save him, his wolf, maybe his wolf isn't infected...but I'm not sure, I need to check it out more but the books I need aren't here so I'm gonna have to go home...'

'What?!' Caroline almost screamed, 'you're leaving me alone here with him, what if he starts to turn again?'

'I need those books Care! It's our only chance,' Bonnie turned worried eyes on Klaus, 'or he won't make it...and if there's anyone that can reach Klaus right now, that's you!'

'What the hell does that mean?!'

'I saw you right now...he...has a sort of connection with you...he trusts you, you can calm him down...I won't be gone long and I'll find Stefan and tell him to hurry up with the blood or bring it myself!' Bonnie looked in her friend's eyes obviously waiting for her to agree to let her leave.

Caroline sighed, 'Please hurry...and tell Stefan to call me!'

The witch hugged her tightly for a second. 'Be careful and remember, they can't see the house so if Stefan calls to say he's coming, you have to open the door for him.'

Caroline nodded as she watched her friend close the door behind her and then a moan from Klaus had her running back to the bed.

She opened the last blood bag and gently helped him drink some of it. He gulped more than half down, his fangs appearing as he sucked at the bag. She felt her own fangs prick her lower lip and realized she was hungry. She gave herself a mental shake, she'll feed when this is over.

She then bathed his face with the wet cloth once more, then moved it down to his chest, even his arms. That seemed to calm him down and she bathed the cloth once more and did it again. Her eyes went to the tattoo on his left shoulder. A feather that morphed into birds. It was beautiful, something an artist like him would have. His body still looked so young and healthy, the muscles taut on his shoulders, chest and arms underneath the feverish skin, like the blood loss wasn't having any effect and yet it was obvious that it was.

She remembered her own fever and how weak it had made her feel, and scared, and lonely, until Klaus had come, and even if she had been afraid of him, his words had made her want to live, she had accepted his help cause she wanted to live.

'I'm here, Klaus.' She whispered under her breath, 'I'm right here with you and you're gonna get through this.'

Hours later.

Caroline let the cell phone drop from her hand and fall on the bed next to Klaus' shivering body.

She put her head in her hands and bit her lip until she tasted blood to stop herself from screaming.

She felt like there were two Carolines right now. One that took care of Klaus mindlessly. Focusing only on keeping him warm or cold depending on his ever changing state. Sometime in the last hour, he had started feeling cold again. His skin had turned clammy as the cold sweat had dried on his skin leaving him shuddering under the blanket.

She had closed the window and revived the fire but his body stayed trembling, even as she added more blankets on him.

Tears sprang in her eyes but she pushed them back.

And then there was another Caroline. One that screamed and raved in her head like a mad woman. _Why was no one answering her phone calls or messages?! _Evening had long fallen and she feared that Klaus didn't have much more time. Bonnie had been gone for hours and everyone seemed to have disappeared from the face of the earth. _Where the hell was everyone? How could they leave her alone like this?_

She wouldn't let her mind worry that something bad had happened to one of them...or all, cause if she did then the screaming Caroline in her head would come out and if she panicked it would be the end. A hysterical laugh escaped her lips. _Even Damon's voice would be a blessing right now, if she heard it!_

'It's wasn't me, mother, I swear!...why doesn't father ever believe me?' The words were barely audible as they left Klaus lips and she just stared at him, knowing that it wasn't her he saw as he looked straight in her eyes.

_His mother again_. It seemed like his hallucinations had stuck him in his still human days and he kept calling to his family. Minutes before, or maybe hours, she was losing track of time, he had called his sister's name over and over, like he had lost her and couldn't find her.

'Why doesn't he...love me like Elijah and Finn?'

She pressed a fist to her mouth. 'I'm sorry...' She whispered as she took his hand in hers and held it tightly. If anyone had told her just yesterday that she could ever feel sorry for Klaus she would have laughed in their face, but right now she did, for the young boy who hadn't been loved or accepted by his father and for the centuries old man on this bed in front of her. His hand was warm in hers and with a sigh realized that the fever would be up again soon. And this time...

_Where the hell was Stefan, he needed more blood_! The last bag long gone. She didn't think he would survive another battle against the fever, he just wasn't strong enough any more...

She got up and started refreshing him with the cloth once more.

Out of the blue a cell phone ringing tone buzzed. She looked at hers but she already knew it wasn't the one ringing. She rushed out of the room and went towards the sound. A cell phone was vibrating on the table where Bonnie had been working earlier. She picked it up and the name on the display made her gasp. Elijah. This was Klaus's phone then and Bonnie had forgotten to take it with her. She closed her eyes and pressed the answer button.

'Hello?'

A brief silence went on the other side. Hers wasn't the voice, he had expected to hear.

'Who is this? Is Niklaus there?' Elijah quiet tone asked.

'I'm Caroline Forbes.'

'The sheriff's daughter?...Why do you have my brother's phone?' He asked.

'He's here...' She said as she walked slowly back to the other room.

'May I speak to him?'

She bit her lower lip. 'Not right now. We...we were looking for you...'

'Why not?' He interrupted her, his voice immediately sounding more alert.

'He's...he's sick...'

'What?' He chuckled softly, 'Niklaus can't get sick...what are you talking about?'

'It's a long story...which includes...a wolf pack and a witch, they bit him and now he's sick ...and he wanted us to look for you...for help...'

'He is immune to wolf bites! Who is we and what did you really do to him?' The coldness in his voice made his accent stand out more, something that happened to his sibling too.

'It's the truth, we're trying to help him but...I'm alone with him right now and...he's...it's bad.' The tears she had been holding back started coming down.

There was a moment of silence again and she was sure he was deciding if he should believe her or not. Something in her voice must have convinced him cause when he spoke, his elegant quiet tone reached her ear again.

'Why are you alone with him? Where's Rebekah?'

'She doesn't know...She can't know! It's too dangerous right now! Bonnie and the others are looking for a solution but he's getting worse and I don't...no one is answering their phone! I'm afraid something bad has happened...and I don't know what to do...' She stopped to choke back a sob as more tears came down. She didn't realize how much she had needed to talk to someone. And now saying her fears out loud made them suddenly more real.

'It's okay Caroline, I'm sure you're doing everything you can.'

'I don't think it's going to be enough.' She answered softly. '...he's dying.'

She heard him intake sharply. 'I'll try to contact Elena and find out more but you stay right where you are.'

'Yes. We're safe here.'

'No, I meant that you must not leave my brother,' He let out a small sigh, 'If he's as bad as you say...I don't want him to...be alone. I understand that you're scared right now because of the blood line and that's he's far from your favourite person in the world but still, don't leave him...please.'

She shook her head slowly, 'I won't.' She said as her eyes settled on Klaus's face once more.

'Thank you.' He said softly, 'I'll call back soon.' And he hung up.

What a dysfunctional family! They literally daggered and back-stabbed each other all the time, but when it really counted they were a family in the very meaning of the word. The idea that Elijah was afraid of his younger brother dying alone and ready to plead with her not to leave him touched something inside her.

She sat down again, leaving the cell phone next to hers. She knew what he had asked her and what she had agreed to. The thought had been there circling in her mind with all the others and she had refused to acknowledge it. If he died, she died too, they all did. She would never get to say goodbye to her mom, to Tyler and everyone else. Hopefully what Tony had said about the broken sire bond could be real and Tyler wouldn't die but she would never know.

And she knew she could leave right now, and have the time to say the goodbyes she wanted and hug people she loved for the last time. But she wouldn't. And not just because Klaus had been bitten helping her, but because she would never find it in her heart to leave him like this. Not even he deserved to die alone, and so they would be...each other's last goodbyes.

She put her hand against his cheek and he pressed his face to it.

'Yeah. My hands are cold...'

He put his hand over hers and sniffed her wrist and his upper lip went up showing his fangs.

She snatched her hand away and grabbed her wrist with her other hand, checking that he hadn't bitten her.

'Me, sick too, is the very last thing we need!'

Suddenly her eyes widened then they slowly went down to look at her wrist, a crazy idea forming in her head.

_Could she do it?_

Without allowing herself to think it over and change her mind, she rushed to the small kitchen, and taking a large knife and a glass, sat at the table. Taking a deep breath, she sliced her wrist with the knife and fisting her hand she let the blood oozing out drop in the glass. She closed her eyes. He needed blood and she was going to give it to him. She wasn't going to let him and all the others die without doing everything she could to buy him time. She mustn't give up hope. Not yet. When the glass was full, she put her other hand on her wounded wrist and went to the sink. A few seconds under the running water and her arm was as good as new.

She took the glass from the table and went back near the bed.

'Here,' She put one arm around his shoulders to help him up a bit, and putting the glass to his lips, helped him drink. His eyes opened, all red veins in and around them and drank greedily.

'Easy...' She breathed in relief as he finished almost all the glass before collapsing against her.

She got him more comfortable and put the blankets back around his body. She went to check his wound and suddenly the room danced around her.

'Wow.' She was the one to collapse now, heavily in the nearby chair. 'I can't believe this, when the blood finally arrives, I think I'm gonna need it even more than you do_...if _it arrives.' She concluded under her breath.

'Caroline?'

'Oh my God. Oh my...Hey, you!' All dizziness forgotten, she eagerly turned to look at the hybrid on the bed, a huge smile on her face, her eyes bright. 'You're awake?!'

'That bad, huh?' He whispered, his eyes seemed to fight against closing again.

'What?'

'Your smile, for...the first time you looked...really happy to see me, so...' Again his eyes closed then reopened, 'I'm really...dying?'

'No! No!' She denied, 'You're the original hybrid, remember? You won't let a stupid wolf bite get you...Are you feeling better? You've been unconscious all afternoon and it's night now.'

Had Bonnie been right, his wolf was well and fighting, or maybe could it be her blood had helped him a little?

'It's been over a day then? I should be already...dead...where's Bonnie...any prog-' His lips stretched against his teeth as he hissed in pain and hit the mattress with his fist.

'She's...she's onto it.' She answered, closing her eyes against his pain. 'but stop talking, you need to rest.'

'No, I...I don't want to go back...'

'Your hallucinations?' She asked quietly.

He frowned deeply in her eyes. 'What...what did I say?'

She gave a small shrug. 'Nothing...that made sense...just rest now.' She lied, somehow knowing he wouldn't like to know he had shown such a vulnerable side to him.

'No, keep me awake...talk to me...'

'About what?'

'You.' He whispered softly, as his hand tightened against hers for a second. Her eyes flew to their hands, surprised to see that they had been holding hands all this time. _How did it keep happening?_

'I'm afraid I don't have your kind of stories to tell...'

He gave her a small tired smile and he licked his lips. 'Where...where did you get warm blood?'

'Do you want more?' She asked instead of answering.

He nodded once on the pillow.

'Be back in a second.' She said before taking the glass and speeding to the kitchen. She repeated what she had done earlier and just as promised was back a moment later.

'Klaus?' She called him. His eyes had closed and didn't reopen.

Perspiration was shining on his forehead once again and with a tired sad sigh, she seated herself back in the chair. Tears burned in her eyes again and she let them fall unchecked. _So much for feeling better!_

Her hand moved slowly towards his face and she rested her palm against his warm cheek, her thumb caressing his cheek bone. His head leaned in her hand and then his lips pressed a soft kiss against her palm. She gasped out loud and slowly retrieved her hand. Her skin seemed to burn where his lips had touched.

'Here, try to drink...' Again she helped him up and stood behind him to help him drink. His mouth barely opened and she had to almost force it down his throat.

She frowned as she looked down at him cause suddenly she was totally aware of every touch of her hand against his naked skin. The way her hand curled around his shoulder. The way his back pressed against her chest while he leaned on her. His hair against her cheek. What the hell was wrong with her? Not only was he very sick, but he had been shirtless in front of her all day, she had been bathing him and suddenly one stupid touch of his lips on her hand and she was like hyperaware of him!

She removed the glass from his mouth and helped him settle back down on the bed. Then went and sat on the chair. She took his hand from above the blankets and pressed it between hers.

'I'm sorry...I'm so, so sorry.' She whispered as she leaned her forehead on their hands entwined.

Suddenly his hand squeezed hers so strong she whimpered in pain, she looked up to find him sitting straight on the bed as a low, deep, guttural growl left his body. He released her hand and spreading his arms wide growled once more. She gasped as she saw his eyes turn golden and his fangs appear. All the muscles in his upper body tensed up as they seemed to move under his skin.

'Oh my God! Oh my God, no please...please Klaus don't do this!' She scrambled off the chair making it fall behind her and she had to force herself to stay in place. _Had she done this? Had her blood made him strong enough to turn? _She remembered Bonnie's words. She had to calm him down.

Slowly her trembling hands went to his face and she caressed his cheeks, 'Klaus. Listen to me. Don't do this...please...Klaus, don't...stay with me, please, stay with me.'

He screamed again in pain and his body shook violently. His hybrid eyes, red and golden looked straight at her but she wasn't sure he was seeing her. She moved closer still, her face close to his, until her forehead touched his. 'Please Nik...stay with me.' She repeated sobbing, looking in his yellow pupils.

His hands went up to hold her face like she was holding his and for a second she was afraid he was going to crush her skull and she closed her eyes, tears squeezing out of her tightly closed lids.

She felt his breath on her cheek, and then his lips brushed against hers. She opened her eyes in surprise and again he touched his mouth to her slightly parted lips, almost hesitantly, his hands keeping her face prisoner.

For a full five seconds she was so astonished she didn't react. His lips were firm, warm and so incredibly tender against hers. _God, he had the softest lips! _That thought seem to reverberate in her mind and shock her insides, cause suddenly she was pushing him away, or trying to, since he had buried one hand in her hair and the other was sprawled against her back pulling her closer to him. The kiss became fierce and hard, his lips hungry for hers, but there was also such a desperation too as he clung to her, that it brought more tears to her eyes and incredibly she found herself giving in to it. She felt the same desperation hit her, like she knew there wasn't any time left.

This was the end, it was happening.

They were alone, he was in pain, and she was scared. Her hands stayed on his cheeks as she pushed his damp hair away from his forehead.

Instead of fighting him, she relaxed in his arms and kissed him back. His mouth moved over hers, his tongue passed her lips, then thrust boldly in her mouth. She leaned him back on the bed and moved over him, suddenly wanting to feel closer to him. Their tongues danced with each other and his hand caressed her back as it moved up to her neck.

He sighed softly as he took her lower lip between his, tracing it with the tip of his tongue making her quiver with pleasure. He deepened the kiss once more fully exploring her mouth before slowly, so slowly releasing her lips but kept holding her tightly to him. She opened her eyes to find his beautiful blue ones, glazed over with pain and fever but tenderly looking in hers. His hand moved through her tresses gently and then she felt his other hand go slack on her back and she knew he had lost consciousness again even before his eyes had closed. She stayed where she was, holding on to him and rested her head on his naked chest as she looked up at him. His breath was haggard under her cheek as his torso barely moved.

Her lips were still tingling from that incredible kiss. Her whole body was! She had really kissed Niklaus Michaelson and...she didn't regret it. What was there to regret? They were going to die very soon!

Suddenly the door burst open and Caroline sprang from the bed turning towards it, shielding Klaus with her body to whoever was coming in.


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you for all the nice reviews about the last chapter. Hope you continue to enjoy my story!**

Chapter 7.

'Guys...' She breathed in relief even as tears still clung to her eyelashes. She watched Bonnie and Elena briskly walk in, Damon and Stefan followed carrying an unconscious black haired boy with them, that for a second stopped her already dead heart until she realised it wasn't Tyler.

Bonnie hurried to hug her tightly. 'Are you okay? How is he?' She asked in the same breath.

Elena came forward to hug her too as she saw her blond friend's eyes fill up with tears. 'We're so sorry! We switched off our phones but the moment I switched it back on, I found Elijah's message.'

'Why did you switch them off? Where were you all!? Is everyone okay?! I was going crazy with worry?!...How could you leave me alone for so long...without a text...'

'You're right, we're so sorry, we knew you would be going out of your mind, but checking out my theory...I somehow lost track of time, then I called them...and we decided we should test it right away!' Bonnie looked at her with guilty eyes before hugging her again.

'But we're here now,' Stefan smiled at her, 'everything will be okay.'

'We don't know that yet.' His brother grumbled next to him as he let the boy drop on the wooden floor.

'Who is he?' Caroline asked as Bonnie moved towards Klaus. 'And where's Tyler? Is he okay?'

'He's fine. He helped us. He should be here soon.' Elena reassured her, then nodding with her head at the boy she added. 'As for him, he's one of the pack.'

'Klaus looks...' Bonnie looked at Caroline who was still breathing a big sigh of relief at Elena's words.

She swiveled to her friend, her eyes wide. _There was no way she could know right? She couldn't possibly have any clue about that electrifying kiss that had just happened between them? _'I know...real bad.' The blond vampire finally said.

'I was gonna say a little better actually.'

'Seriously? He's been going mad with pain and fever and...hallucinating!'

'Good. Let him suffer.' Damon said smugly as he came closer too. 'Shall we start?'

'Could someone explain to me please, what is going on? And you still haven't told me why you switched off your phones!' Caroline turned to look at her friends.

'No time.' The older Salvatore frowned at her.

'It's her life too, she has every right to know.' Elena frowned back at him.

'Okay,' The witch looked at her, her eyes alight with purpose. 'As I explained to them, the werewolves drank Michaelson's blood and with the help of the spell, they made their bite lethal to them, and I thought maybe they didn't consider the fact that Klaus is half wolf so it's only his vampire side that's been infected...'

'Until he told us otherwise.' Damon interrupted her while nodding towards the wolf boy.

'Meaning?' Caroline frowned at her friend. 'And why is that werewolf here?'

'We put up a plan and we caught him. That's when he told us that they knew that their bite could possibly not kill Klaus like the rest of his family because of his wolf side but they knew they would weaken him enough so that he wouldn't be able to defend himself...their plan was to bite Klaus then once weakened, take him prisoner then, burn him or whatever.'

'You compelled him to tell you this?'

Elena shook her head at her. 'He's vervained, no compulsion.'

'So you tortured him?' Caroline asked again.

'No, he was ready to die without saying a word...' Stefan started to say,

'Until I told him, we wouldn't kill him but make Klaus turn him into a hybrid.' Damon said with a proud smile.

'That's when he became very cooperative...after he made us promise to kill him before letting _that_ happen.' Elena finished quietly.

'Anyway back to my theory,' Bonnie intervened, 'Klaus wolf side is still immune to their bite, so...I want to use that side of him to save him...from what I read...I think, if we fed Klaus, _their_ blood, the spell wouldn't work anymore...cause it can't go against itself...their blood in his system mingled with his wolf's blood...would save him.'

Caroline frowned slightly. 'But isn't their blood that made him sick in the first place? If he drinks it, he could get worse...'

'No,' Bonnie disagreed. 'That was the venom, not the blood! The spell works in their blood... Listen, I know it's complicated to understand, but...'

'Then just tell us if you're sure it would work.' Damon asked as him and Stefan had picked the boy again and moved him on the chair where Care had been sitting.

'Pretty sure...but if you have a better idea, feel free to speak it out.' Bonnie challenged him, obviously this hadn't been the first argument between them tonight.

Caroline's cell phone started vibrating on the bed and she hurried to pick it up.

'It's Tyler!.' She smiled as she ran to open the door, and a moment later was hugging her boyfriend tightly to her. 'Thank God, you're okay.'

He hugged her back and kissed her cheek, 'The pack is looking for Damon.' He said once he released her, looking directly at the black haired vampire, 'They know, Ryan here, was following you so the moment they realised he's missing, you became the first suspect.'

'Following you?' Caroline asked.

'They have been following all of us,' Stefan explained, 'which is why I couldn't bring more blood, they're too many to shake them off.'

'Which is also why we had to switch off our cell phones, not to say also create a diversion tonight to finally be able to come here.' Elena looked at her boyfriend.

'Your brother is fine.' Stefan reassured her. 'He was the only one of us not being followed.'

'Jeremy? What?...' Caroline was shaking her head at them.

'No time for this!' Damon firmly barked, 'That bastard over there is dying...and unfortunately for us we can't let it happen...so get on with your explanation to Barbie and Ken here, so...'

Tyler huffed angrily at Damon but Stefan moved in front of him, 'He's right about one thing ...time is of essence here and Bonnie needs to explain things to you so we can act.'

A loud growl from Klaus made them all turn to look at him and Caroline hurried to his side.

'Bonnie's here. You're gonna be okay,' she said softly as she rearranged his blankets over him. Stefan brought her a new bag of blood but he barely took a sip before falling unconscious again. She then proceeded to take off the bandages around his wound.

'Maybe his wolf side will win the spell on its own...we know he's resilient enough...'

She heard Tyler tell Bonnie who had been repeating the things she had told her.

'And are you ready to bet your life on it, and all of ours?' Stefan asked him.

Tyler sighed, 'I just don't like the idea of killing him.' He said looking at the oblivious boy.

'Neither do I,' Elena admitted 'But Bonnie is right. This is our best option.'

'What's the worst case scenario? Could the werewolves blood kill him?' Caroline asked from the bedside.

'No, no...I suppose the worst thing that could happen is that it won't work, I mean that the blood alone won't be enough to reverse the spell...I told you, this is one powerful witch who's done this...I'll be doing a spell of my own of course, but even that might not be enough...' Bonnie explained.

'So Klaus could still be dying?' Damon rose his eyebrows at her.

Bonnie nodded.

'And we would have killed Ryan for nothing?' Tyler added.

'If we let him live, he'll blow your cover, he saw you when we caught him,' Stefan replied. 'and even with Klaus alive, we still need to get rid of this pack, so we need you with them.'

'Who cares if this dog lives or not? none of this would be happening if it wasn't for his damn pack!' Damon growled.

Caroline breathed heavily, 'I say we try it.'

'I have faith in Bonnie, if she says it can work, it will!' Elena added.

'That's another thing, guys...'

They all turned tired eyes on Bonnie, and she sighed.

'Once Klaus is healed, he won't die so you won't either...but his blood won't be able to save anyone from a bite from this pack, so their danger is still very real!'

'Can't we take some of their blood like Klaus, if it will work for him, it would work for us too right?' Elena asked.

'No, in that case, if it works it's because an original's blood was part of the spell, but...yours isn't.'

Elena nodded to show her friend she understood while the Salvatores dragged the boy over to Klaus.

'We'll worry about that later...once we're sure we're gonna live.' Damon said quietly.

Bonnie left the room and returned with candles which she lighted up around the bed. Tyler revived the fire and then stood back with Caroline.

'Wake up, dinner's here.' Damon hit Klaus' shoulder to get a reaction from him, but he barely stirred.

Almost without knowing, Caroline took a step forward, 'I don't think he's strong enough to drink on his own.'

Damon shook his head and sighed. Stefan helped Klaus to move up, getting all the pillows he could find behind him. His brother tore the shirt from the guy Ryan and exposed his neck to Klaus fangs. Bonnie started chanting and the spirits voices in the room seemed to repeat everything after her like an echo.

The candle flames suddenly burned brighter and the lights went out around them. The witch nodded to Stefan who moved Klaus closer yet.

Caroline barely noticed the flames coming out of the fireplace even when Tyler moved her out of their way. She was too concentrated on Klaus, almost as if she could willingly make him react. He seemed to sniff the air once and his eyes opened, wide, red and golden. Veins appeared around them and his fangs extended out on his lower lip. He growled once and then sunk them in the boy's neck.

The brothers moved back as Bonnie kept chanting louder, dropping down on her knees. The window sprung open and a gust of wind howled in, sending objects lying around flying to the floor near their feet.

Blood dripped down Klaus chin and to his chest as he kept sucking the wolf dry.

Everyone seemed to stand still around the bed as the witch stopped as if to gather more strength. Some of the voices screamed and Bonnie with them.

Drops of blood fell from her nostrils to her mouth but she kept chanting. Elena shouted her name against the voices and wind but Stefan grabbed her back before she could go to her.

Suddenly everything went dead quiet. The lights flickered back on and the fire seemed to suck itself out as did the candles. The window banged close once again.

Elena ran to Bonnie who had collapsed on the floor. Elena shouted her name frantically shaking her. Slowly the witch's eyes opened and she smiled weakly at her friend.

Klaus dropped the now dead body off the bed and looked at Bonnie, then at his wounded leg.

It seemed to had finally stopped bleeding.

'Klaus?' Caroline whispered his name and suddenly his eyes turned to her. She took a step towards him but a pain so big shot in her leg that she almost fell if Tyler hadn't caught her immediately. 'Caroline, what's wrong?! Are you okay?!'

She whimpered in pain as her hand went down to touch her leg.

'I don't know...I feel...strange...my leg hurts...'

Bonnie's head went up and her words. 'What did you say?'

'My calf hurts like...' She put out her leg as she leaned against Tyler. Her calf looked perfectly healthy, but the pain was very real. 'Like I can feel a wound there but...'

'Oh my God, Caroline what did you do?!' Bonnie got up and rushed to her.

'Nothing, what do you mean?!' She replied as Tyler helped her into a chair.

'Did you...did you feed Klaus...your blood?'

'Of course not, she would never do that!' Tyler answered the witch with a frown, 'she's been through a lot, she's tired...'  
Bonnie ignored him and looked at her blond friend, 'Caroline?!'

'He was very sick...and Stefan didn't come...no one was answering his phone! I panicked...I thought...' Tears formed in her eyes as Bonnie's eyes widened on her.

'Oh my God! Why didn't you tell me?!'

'Why? What does it mean?'. Klaus growled from the bed. He was sitting down and looking straight at the witch.

'I didn't think it was important...why? What's happening to me?' Caroline squeezed Bonnie's hand hard.

The witch squeezed back. 'During the spell, I bound Klaus to the blood inside him because it belonged to the werewolf...'

'How could you, Caroline?' Her boyfriend, grabbed her arm and turned her harshly to look at him. 'You let him drink from you?!'

'Stop it! You're hurting her!' Klaus hand was around Tyler's neck in a flash of a second even as he winced from the pain in his leg.

Caroline moaned loudly, catching her calf.

'Let him go!' Stefan yanked Klaus's hand away but he had already released Tyler, and hobbled back to the bed. Once he released the pressure off his hurt leg, he sighed softly even as his breath came in short gasps. Caroline sighed slowly as the pain receded for her too.

'Someone is feeling better I see...' Damon remarked, looking at the original hybrid.

Caroline turned to look at Bonnie again. 'So...what?...I don't understand! What does it mean?'

'I think the spell...bound you to Klaus...'

Elena gasped even as she said. 'She was already bound to him, we all are!'

'No, it's different! Her blood was in his system, I bound Klaus to the blood inside him, I... she's...the spell I did...she's _physically_ bound to Klaus...and him to her, what he feels, she feels...and vice versa.'

'What?! Reverse the spell!' Klaus shouted at her.  
'Make it go away!' Caroline pleaded at the same time.  
'That's impossible!'

'Bonnie!' Now it was Tyler's turn to shout, 'You have to do something!'

'I could try to look for something...another spell...'

Klaus huffed from the bed. 'Because this one worked so well!'

'You're alive, aren't you? So shut up!' Stefan growled at him while he moved to the centre of the room. 'Everybody calm down.' he added then looking at Bonnie added, 'are you absolutely sure about this?'

'One way to find out.' Before anyone could react, Damon slapped Caroline hard on her face.

'Damon?!' Elena shouted his name, horrified at his action.

Tyler shoved him away from his girlfriend. 'What the hell man?'

Caroline's hand went up to her mouth and she felt a small trickle of blood coming down her chin from her open lip. She turned angry eyes on Damon but he was staring at Klaus and her eyes turned to him too.

Caroline gave a sharp intake of breath, as she saw the stunned look on Klaus's face and the trickle of blood coming down his own lip.

His eyes shone angrily at Damon. 'You touch her again...and I swear I'll make you eat your own heart.'

'We had to know.' Damon shrugged at him.

Bonnie squeezed her hand again. 'I'm sorry Caroline, I didn't know.'

Her friend shook her head hard. 'It's not your fault Bonnie, but please tell me you'll help me.'

Her friend just stared at her for a moment then said. 'I'll do my best you know that!'

'You know what this means right?' Damon's eyes moved over everyone as he talked. 'If she dies, he dies...and we all follow.'

Stefan sighed heavily. 'No one is going to die here!'

'If the werewolves find out about this...' His brother started again to be interrupted by Elena this time. 'Stop it, Damon!'

Klaus hobbled on one leg towards his shirt, which was on the sofa and putting it on he asked Tyler. 'Is the witch with them?'

'No.'

'Did they say anything about her? Her name? Anything?'

'No, not yet...maybe when they'll trust me more.'

'I need to know who and where she is. She could have more blood, so even if I go there and kill them all, it wouldn't necessarily mean the end of this whole thing.'

Bonnie scoffed at him. 'You're still too weak.'

'I didn't mean right away,' he scoffed right back, 'but tell me, can I give my blood to Rebekah and my brothers? Will it make them immune too?'

'No!' Bonnie shook her head at him. 'With what just happened, you could bind them to Caroline too...you can't risk that!'

'But you're not sure that's what would happen?' He asked again.

'It's too big a risk, you can't do it!' The witch argued back.

'Klaus...' Caroline looked at him with fear in her eyes. 'You can't do it. You can't!'

His eyes met hers for a long moment and when she was going to plead again he stopped her. 'I won't.' He said simply.

She closed her eyes in relief. All that was happening was scary enough, thinking of herself bound to the whole original family made her want to scream in terror.

Klaus looked at Bonnie again. 'What if I catch another werewolf from this pack, and get my family to drink from him, would _that_ work?'

'No.' The witch replied after a long silent moment. 'I was able to save you thanks to your wolf side...it wouldn't work for your siblings.'

The original hybrid stared at her, eyes into eyes for a tense heartbeat. 'If I catch you lying to me...'

Bonnie scoffed hard. 'You'll what? Oh let me guess, you'll kill my mom?'

'Son of a bitch!'

'What a jerk!'

Klaus ignored all comments and horrified looks and sat down and slowly put on his shoes. 'So the only way out of this is to kill this witch and the spell dies with her...I need to find her before anything else...but first I need...'

Stefan interrupted him this time. 'You have no say in this! We decide what to do here!'  
'I think not. I'm not dying anymore, remember? In fact as you can see I feel much better already. There's no reason for me to stay here or hidden anymore...because thanks to Bonnie here, the werewolves bite is not a danger to me anymore.' He said as he looked at the witch.

'But it is to Caroline.' She answered back.

'Which is why I'm taking her with me.'

'I'm not going anywhere with you!' Caroline spat at him.

'Do you really think I'm gonna let you out of my sight for a second, while we're bound like this?!'

Tyler moved in front of her. 'We can take care of her, she's perfectly safe with us!'

'And I should take your word on it because...'

Tyler's eyes flashed and his fangs came out as he pushed Klaus with all his might, making him bang hard against the nearest wall.

Caroline's screamed.

'Tyler stop!' Elena went to Caroline as her back arched out in pain.

'You bloody idiot!' Klaus shouted at him.

Tears finally started coming down Caroline's cheeks, and it wasn't just the pain in her back, or the throbbing in her leg that won't stop, it was the fact that she realised how right Damon's words were, all the lives of the persons she loved depended on hers. If something happened to them, she'd never forgive herself, not when she knew that it was her fault, and her crazy idea to help Klaus.

Tyler was at her side immediately, 'I'm so sorry, I didn't...Oh God, I can't believe this is happening!" His eyes were desperate as he looked at her but there was something else...a sadness, a question as to why she had done what she had. _Oh my God! What would he do if he knew she had kissed Klaus? He'd never forgive her! _She turned frightened eyes on Klaus. _Would he say anything? Did he even remember?_

'She's going to stay with me at the mansion, until you," Klaus pointed at Bonnie, "find a way to adjust things...as soon as possible.'

Stefan moved next to Tyler in front of Caroline. 'We won't let you take her.'

'Then stop me...but remember if you hurt me, you hurt her.'

'You can't keep her prisoner!' Elena shouted at him in frustration.

'Elena, always so melodramatic,' he intaked impatiently. 'she will be no prisoner.'

Caroline moved the boys away and looked at him. 'Klaus, please, I promise I'll be extra careful...I won't even go out of the house, just let me stay with my friends.'

His head tilted sideways. 'You're ready to risk their lives like that? Really?'

Her face crumbled and she lowered her eyes.

'Son of a bitch.' Tyler growled.

'My cell phone, please.' Klaus put his hand out.

Stefan handed it to him while Caroline, tears completely forgotten in her eyes, flashed them angrily at Klaus.

'It won't be so bad, come on, I only have everyone's best interest at heart...you can spend all day on the internet or on the phone with them if you so wish.'

'Why can't we visit her?' Bonnie asked.

'Don't you think the pack will find it strange to say the least, if they realise she's staying at my house...Tyler can come up with an excuse about her whereabouts if they ask...' And with that he moved a little away as he pressed buttons on the phone.

'I won't leave you there, a moment more than necessary, I promise...I'll start working on a spell right away.' Bonnie widened her mouth in a reassuring smile but Caroline couldn't help notice the worried look in her eyes.

'What possessed you to give him your blood?' Tyler hissed quietly at her.

Caroline looked at him, pleading him with her eyes to understand. 'I told you, he was really bad...he needed blood or he wouldn't have made it...so I gave him the only blood I had...it was worth a shot...I thought why not?'

'Because it was Klaus, that's why not!'

'And I would have left all of you die when...'

'I think I would have preferred it to this!'

'You don't mean that!' Tears burned in her eyes and she bit her lip.

'Maybe her vampire blood did help him...' Stefan intervened quietly.

'Yes, most probably you saved all our lives.' Elena continued with a small smile to Caroline.

'And now it's in my hands...I'm so sorry...'

'All settled, Rebekah is coming to get us right away.' Klaus said.

Tyler looked at the others. 'We're really just gonna stay here and watch him take her _away_?'

'She will be taken care of as...as I would of my own self.' He smirked at him.

'I warn you...'

Klaus just rolled his eyes and sighed heavily, giving him his back. He took out his hand to Caroline, 'Let's go.'

'I swear I'll make you regret this.' She got up from the chair, ignoring his hand.

'I already am! You think I like having my life in your hands?!'

She tried to move past him, but at the first step, her leg buckled under her, the pain shooting right up to her thigh. Klaus was the first to take her arm. Both their eyes went to his hand holding her arm, then to each other's. His lips parted in surprise. It was the strangest weirdest feeling ever, she could feel his fingers on her and she could feel _him_ touching her, and she realised it was the same for him. She lowered her eyes and snatched her arm back from his hold. His frown deepened as he looked straight in her eyes and seemed as if he was trying to grasp a memory. Her breath hitched in fear but then he blinked and the moment was gone.

_He didn't remember! And she would forget all about it too. It had been nothing but a moment's madness during this terrible night and now it was over. She wouldn't feel guilty about it and she would simply remove it from her thoughts like it had never happened._

She turned to hug Elena and Bonnie tightly, fighting against the tears once more. She then hugged Stefan who encouraged her softly that she was gonna be fine. Damon gave her a small nod with his head and mouthed 'sorry' while pointing to his own lips. She nodded back, then turned to Tyler, whose hands were in tight fists at his side. At first she thought he wasn't going to touch her, but then he took her in his arms, and in a barely audible tone, he whispered in her ear, "I'll get you out of there, soon." He then kissed her fully on the mouth, she returned the kiss desperately, her arms going round his neck.

Klaus cleared his throat, 'Feeling everything here!'

That brought them so fast apart, Caroline almost staggered on her feet, then turned to look at Klaus angrily. He just shrugged his shoulders and turned towards the door.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8.

Klaus opened a door and moved into the room and Caroline followed him in.

She took in the room, with it's beautiful soft creamy colors, in one glance. She noticed the huge bed for which her body longed for but she ignored it. She turned to look at him with a frosty look, tied her arms and declared.

'I hate it.'

'Good, then here's exactly where you'll stay.' Rebekah replied from behind her.

'Bekah...'

'I can't believe they kept what was happening to you from me!' His sister was furious as she kept glaring angrily at Caroline.

'I made sure you were safe.' He replied quietly.

'But you weren't...and all because of her...really Nik, risking your life for this little...'

'Hey...' Caroline glared right back.

'Something would have happened anyway, I told you, this pack is out to get us...or at least to try.'

Rebekah shook her head, 'Who the hell is this witch and why does she have our blood?'

'Didn't you hear me make those phone calls in the car?' He asked impatiently, 'I got people checking on it, including Elijah.'

'Let's hope they do their job better, than the Bennett girl!'

Caroline's ever present loyalty spoke up. 'She saved his life.'

Rebekah completely ignored her and kept talking to her brother. 'I say they are not to be trusted, maybe...'

'Sister,' he interrupted her, 'I'm in desperate need of a shower and rest. Anything else can wait till tomorrow.'

Rebekah looked at him and her eyes softened slightly as she took in his wrinkled and torn clothes. She gave him a small nod which he answered with a little smile and she walked out after frowning one last time at the other girl.

He turned to look at Caroline again. 'You have your own bathroom.' He said nodding towards the other door in the room. 'Take a shower. Relax and most importantly rest. _Our_ legs need it.'

'I don't have anything to wear, I've been in these same clothes for almost two days.'

'You can borrow...'

She raised one finger at him. 'Don't even think about me wearing anything that belongs to _her_.'

He let out a heavy sigh. 'Fine...then come with me.'

He left the room and she followed, or better she hobbled, since the pain in her leg was killing her._ It wasn't fair! _He seemed to walk fairly normal next to her, with merely a limp, she thought as her eyes went to his wounded leg. The torn pant revealed dried blood on it but the dents though still visible, had closed.

She raised her arms in frustration, 'How come I seem to be the one in most pain?'

'You're not. I'm feeling your exact same pain.'

'Somehow I doubt that...'

'I'm just stronger...or maybe just not whiny.' He shook his head as he kept walking.

She narrowed her eyes angrily at him but he ignored her._ How dare he? _She shrieked inside her head as she called him all the unpleasant names she could think of. _After the horrors she had been through just to keep him alive!_

They went through the corridor they had just passed, crossed over the staircase and moved to the other wing of the house. He stopped next to a closed door, opened it and after switching on the lights, he waved his arm to encompass all the room which was in a dark blue shade.

He moved towards a wardrobe which he opened and then a couple of drawers nearby.

'You can take anything you need.'

'Whose clothes are these?' She asked as she gazed at the underwear drawer filled with still tagged garments.

'Esther's.' He replied, 'As you know she won't be needing them so...help yourself.'

His tone was so indifferent. Such a huge change from the way he had been calling out to his mother just hours before. Looking at him now, it seemed impossible that he was the same man. That these blue eyes looking at her right now, where the same ones who had been filled up with pain and anguish as he asked her to keep him awake.

'I want my own clothes.' She pouted at him.

'You can call your friends or your mother tomorrow morning to pack you a bag and one of my hybrids will go and bring it to you...but for tonight, if as you say you wish fresh clothes, these are your best options.'

She hated that he was being so understanding when she wanted to fight and scream against him to take out all her anger at being brought here.

'Well...you want me to choose for you?' He asked before picking a black matching pair of bra and undies. 'I think you'll look great in these.'

She narrowed her eyes at him. 'I just want something to sleep in.'

'There,' he motioned to the other drawer and her eyes widened slightly at the beautiful silk night gowns neatly stacked there.

'My mother had a thing for silk.' He commented quietly. 'Or I can give you one of my T-shirts if you prefer?' He added with a little smile.

She forced herself to smile back. 'Yes, if you make that your most favourite one and add a pair of scissors with it.'

He chuckled softly, 'Do I really look like the kind of man who has a _favourite_ T-shirt?'

She snorted and rolled her eyes. She looked down in the drawer again but for some reason she felt awkward touching intimate garments in front of him, especially since he just stood there, waiting for her to choose.

She sighed heavily before grabbing the nightgown and underwear on top and fisted them in her hands to make them as small as possible. He dropped the pair he still held, back in the drawer and closed them.

They walked back to her room.

'As I said, you're not a prisoner, you're my guest here and I meant it, so feel free to do whatever you want to...as long as it's inside the house.'

She put a fake smile on her lips. 'Can I jump from a window? I promise to do it from inside the house.'

'Very funny,' he drawled, 'I should inform you that members of the pack are outside this place...'

'What?'

'Yes, my hybrids saw them more than once. They have been checking out the house and the grounds nearby obviously they want to see if they have a way in.'

'And they do?'

'Of course not!' He denied immediately. 'This place has the best alarm systems, cameras, sensors, not to mention my hybrids keeping guard...you're perfectly safe _inside_ the house.'

'Then they must have seen me come in with you...Tyler...'

'No,' He interrupted her. 'that's why we came in through the garage and the car windows are tinted as are all the windows of the house...we like our privacy here...so...they have no idea you're here...and we're going to keep it that way.'

'This is such a nightmare!' She shrieked at him.

'Tell me about it!' He shouted back. 'I'm a thousand year old, immortal being and suddenly I'm vulnerable because of...this body!' He grabbed her wrist, not hurtfully but strong and that weird double feeling returned, the tingling awareness of their skins touching from her perspective and his.

'Don't touch me!' She yanked her arm back, wincing at the pain shooting in her leg as she pressed on the one hurting her.

He winced too but seemed more concentrated on his hand as he flexed his fingers wide and frowned at them. 'Bloody spell.' He mumbled.

He felt it exactly the same way she did. Damn, this was an ulterior complication that made her want to scream in frustration. She couldn't go around being hyper aware of his every movement...though it did seem to happen only when they touched. She sighed heavily and couldn't help her eyes straying to the large window.

'I hope you're not thinking of taking your chances with the pack anyway...after all, they tried to kill you and I'm sure you wouldn't be so stupid as to put yours and your friends' life in danger like that,' he raised his eye brows at her. '...and even if you tried to run away...the moment you walked on that leg, I'd know...I'm just two doors away.'

'Then I'll make sure to lock the door.' She hissed at him.

'As if that would stop me.' When she gasped in alarm, he shook his head slightly. 'I'm kidding...if that had been all I wanted from you...' He walked out closing the door and leaving his sentence unfinished before she had finished gasping again.

She stared at the closed door for a long moment and then tiredly shook her head. She saw her own reflection in the full body mirror on the other side of the room and she winced again, this time at her appearance. She looked a fright, with her hair a total mess and her clothes all wrinkly. She didn't think she had ever seen herself look so tired since she had turned, in fact she was rarely ever tired.

Reluctantly, she took Esther's stuff and walked towards the bathroom. She had an urge to actually dash to the window to see if he would come running, but the pain made her doubt she was even able to run.

The bathroom was huge, with a deep tub and a shower. She opened the tabs and let the tub fill in. Five minutes later she sighed as she sat down in the hot water and after washing her hair, let herself relax among the soap suds, lifting her leg up and feeling the pain diminish.

She would leave here soon, she told herself.

If she closed her eyes, she could imagine Bonnie hard at work at her laptop and books to find a solution to free her. A matter of a day or two at the most and she would be back to her life, to her friends and she would put all this behind her.

Klaus, she was sure would take care of the pack and their witch and they would all be safe once more. Her body would be back to being only hers and she would forget all the pain, how scared, alone and helpless she had felt these last few hours and she would also forget the kiss. For a second she closed her eyes and his lips were back on hers and...

'No!' She shouted as she hit the water with her fist, splashing it everywhere. She refused to let herself think of it again. It never happened, she had never kissed that monster and thank God he had been too feverish to remember and if he ever did, she would deny it till her death.

He was keeping here against her will and no kiss, no matter how awesome it was, would make her forget it!

Half an hour later, wearing a long, white, silk night gown she went back in the bedroom. Reluctantly she admitted it felt great against her skin and stealing a glance towards the mirror she also had to admit that it was truly beautiful. It seemed to shimmer around her as she moved. Definitely not her style but beautiful none the less. She was drying her hair in the towel when she heard a soft knock.

Her eyes widened, 'Who is it?'

A female voice answered, 'I'm Danielle. Could I have your dirty laundry please?'

She opened the door and looked at the black short haired girl standing there. 'There's no need...'

'Klaus said you would need to wear them in the morning.'

'Did he now? Soooo nice of him.' Caroline's mouth widened in a grim smile. 'One moment,' she told her and going back in the bathroom brought her clothes and gave them to the girl,

'Thank you.' She smiled at her and the girl smiled back, 'If you need anything else let me know.' and she was gone.

'So...he really thinks he can win me over with these...these...' Words failed her. 'And that I'll be all meek, because he's being...nice and thoughtful to my needs! Think again, buddy.'

Her eyes looked around the room, taking everything in. After a moment, with a smile on her lips she went to the stereo on the shelf near the flat screen and taking the stereo remote control switched a few buttons. 'I swore I would make you regret it...and I will.'

4.15 a.m.

'What in bloody hell are you doing?!' Klaus deep voice yelled out of her room door, louder than the heavy metal music blaring from the stereo which the alarm she had done earlier had started. A second later the door flung open, crashing against the opposite wall.

'It's four in the morning!' He was suddenly in front of her. Disheveled hair, barefoot, wearing only black pajamas bottoms as he flashed angry eyes at her. His naked chest heaving hard as he tried to keep his wrath in check.

She had done her best to stay awake but she had dozed off and the alarm had shaken her abruptly off her sleep too, but she'll be damned if she'd let him see that.

She shrugged. 'Actually it's fifteen past four and I felt like listening to music...loudly...I thought you said I could do whatever I wanted.'

He closed his eyes for a second. 'So this is how it's going to be?' He said as he took a step sideways and stretching his arm switched the stereo off.

'I don't know what you mean.' She replied giving him an innocent look.

'May I remind you that I've been in feverish pain for long hours...thanks to you?!'

Caroline forced herself to raise her shoulders in another shrug. She wouldn't let him use her guilt against her.

'I don't want to stay here.'

'And how exactly do you think _this_ will help you leave?' He tied his arms on his chest and her eyes couldn't help be drawn to the strong muscles there. A vision of her bathing him with the wet cloth came to her mind and she forced herself to banish it away.

'I promise, I can drive you so mad, you'll throw me out of the house yourself.'

He tilted his lips up in a forced smile. 'I very sincerely doubt that.'

'We'll see.'

'Love,' he shook his head at her, still smiling, 'may I remind you that I've lived with my sister for a thousand years and survived...do you honestly think, anything you do, could beat that?'

Her hands rolled in fists and they shook with the need to hit something. Preferably his face.

She took a deep breath and then another.

'Klaus,' she forced her voice to soften, 'is there anything I can do or say, that could convince you to let me go home?'

His eyes studied her features, the soft blond waves of her hair framing her face and falling over her shoulders then slid slowly down her curves, making her wish she had never put on this stupid night dress, that while it reached the floor, still seemed suddenly too revealing. She felt her whole body tense up under his gaze. _Had she really said, do?!_

When his eyes reached hers again, he said in a thoughtful tone, 'That would have to be something that I value more than my life, so...' he blinked at her. 'no?'

Her nails pierced her palms hard. 'You jerk!' She shouted in his face.

'Stop it.' He ordered, obviously feeling what she was doing.

Suddenly the second alarm she had put on, went off and the music started once more and he raised his head up to the ceiling as if trying to find patience there. Before he could turn to switch it off again a smashing sound reverberated across the room and the music stopped suddenly.

They both turned to find Rebekah's fist coming out of the now destroyed smoking stereo, the scratches and bruises healing themselves before she had completely removed her hand.

'You little bitch.' The original girl hissed as she sprang towards Caroline but Klaus stopped her by grabbing her by the waist and moving her away.

'Let me go Nik, I want to tear her heart out!'

'You can't, idiot. You'd tear your brother's too.'

'What did you call me?!' Again Rebekah made a move out of Klaus's arms but he dragged her back again.

Caroline eyes taunted Rebekah with a is-that-the-best-you-can-do look.

Rebekah screamed in frustration. ' At least one slap Nik, please!'

The other girl smirked heavily. 'You wish!'

'Enough, both of you! Rebekah, go back to your room. I'll take care of this.' Klaus silenced them both.

'How? I want to see you tie her down, or whatever it is you're going to do to her.'

Caroline smirked at her again while rolling her eyes.

Klaus frowned at Caroline. 'Don't push it, love. She's right, I could very well tie you down.'

'You said that I was a guest here, you don't tie down guests!'

'Guests don't go around waking their hosts in the middle of the night either.' He replied.

'This one does.' She retorted.

Rebekah screamed again. 'Oh for heaven's sake, just shut her up!'

Still holding her Klaus talked to her quietly, his mouth close to her ear. 'Do you trust me, little sister, to get people to do what I want them to?'

His sister smiled viciously in response.

'So go back to your room and I'll handle this.'

She was about to leave but then moved sideways, unplugged the TV screen and carried it out of the room with her.

'No television for you, young lady.' She said smugly before leaving.

'Seems fair,' Klaus said leaning his head sideways, 'we wouldn't want you to feel like watching TV loudly too.'

Caroline just shrugged at him.

So..' He said calmly with a smile. 'I still need my rest, so here's what we're going do. You will...'

Suddenly David Guetta's 'Titanium' started blasting from the alarm radio near the bed. He gritted his teeth together making his jaw muscles twitch and closed his eyes in obvious frustration.

She smiled brightly at him. 'Hey, I love this song!'

The angry glare in his eyes at her words was so furious to be almost comical and she bit her lower lip to stop herself from laughing.

'Nik! Do something!' Rebekah shouted from behind him as she marched back in Caroline's assigned room.

'I was about to.' He hissed darkly, then turning to Caroline, 'Switch that bloody thing off.'

Caroline narrowed her eyes as she decided whether to obey or not. Rebekah looked ready to pounce on her and Klaus' face didn't seem like he was that eager to stop her. With a heavy sigh she pushed the off button on the small radio.

Rebekah mumbled under her breath as she shook her head and turned to go once more. She stopped and gave Caroline a side look, 'Don't make me come back...and take that off, you look ridiculous in it.' She was obviously talking about the night gown and she suddenly felt too exposed again under Klaus gaze as his eyes traveled once more from the tiny straps on her shoulders to the lacy hem from where her toes peeped out.

She crossed her arms in front of her in an attempt to cover herself.

'As I was about to say,' He went on as if the second interruption hadn't happened. 'You either get yourself back in that bed for the next hours and stay in it, or I will sleep right next to you and assure myself that you do.'

'You wouldn't dare!' She exclaimed.

'Oh come on, love,' he said with a little smirk, 'I seem to recall, you already fell asleep in my arms, like a babe I might add...I'm sure we'll both enjoy it again.'

'I'd rather sleep with a shark!' She hissed between her teeth.

He chuckled, 'Well, I'm just as good at biting.'

She rolled her eyes heavily.

'So what's it to be?' He asked when she said nothing, 'this bed looks just as comfortable as mine so...' He eyed her and then took a step towards the bed.

'If you stay here, I swear I will break my own neck!'

'Which will give me a few hours of blessed sleep for sure.' He stretched his lips in an unpleasant smile.

She narrowed her eyes at him once more debating if he would really do it. 'Fine. I'll sleep!...I hate you! You know that, right? And I'm going to bring hell to this house if it's the last thing I do!' She vowed darkly before sitting down on the bed.

'Goodnight to you too.' He replied before turning to leave. When he had almost closed the door, he looked her over one more time, 'Rebekah's right. You're, _ridiculously beautiful _in that.'

Her mouth opened to say something but for the second time he was already gone before she could utter a word. She frowned at the now closed door.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Caroline turned her head in the soft plush pillow and tried to drown the knocking on her door.

'What?' She mumbled as she rubbed her eyes.

'You should come down...breakfast is ready.'

Klaus' voice behind her door, got her sitting up straight in bed and look around her. Her shoulders stooped as she remembered where she was.

'I'm not hungry.' She said frowning at the door.

'I think I know...may I come in?'

'No!'

'I got your clothes here, cleaned up and ready to wear.'

She made a face at the closed door. 'Leave them outside.'

'Okay,' He agreed, 'but I'm going to wait out here with them until you come out.'

'Like hell you will!'

Furious now she threw back the covers and jumped out of bed only for her leg to give out on her and make her shout out in pain.

'Caroline?' Suddenly he was next to her, as she lay crouched on the floor next to the bed. She had forgotten the pain and it had came back so unexpected and intense that it brought tears to her eyes. Before she realised his intention, he picked her up and settled her back gently on the bed. She felt his fingers through the soft silk on her back making it tingle and his arm under her knees, but before she could protest they were gone. A small wince was all the indication that he gave that he felt any discomfort too.

'It's my fault...I should have been more careful...' She mumbled.

'Do you want your breakfast to be brought up here?' He asked looking at her.

'No...I'm okay really...I can walk...but as I said, I'm not hungry.'

He sighed, 'I think I know why you're feeling worse than I am...you need to feed...you gave me your blood, remember?'

'How could I forget? It's the reason I'm trapped in here.' She exclaimed,'...and really how do we know who is really feeling the worse? You're the one who was bitten after all and we're sharing the same pain, aren't we?'

'Because I was in no pain until you put your foot down...I tell you, you need to feed...and the food isn't bad either.'

'Maybe later.'

'No, now.'

She frowned at him. 'What are you my mom? You can't force me to eat.'

'I can...if it makes me weak because of you.' He frowned back.

'That's ridiculous.'

He sighed heavily. 'No, it's not. I will not go around limping because you refuse to be reasonable and feed.'

'You don't know if that will solve the problem.' She insisted.

'Only one way to find out.'

'What the hell?' Again not leaving her time to realise his intentions she was suddenly flung over his shoulder.

'This. Is not happening! Put me down immediately.'

'Are you coming down on your own?' He asked as he took the first steps away from the bed.

Her answer was to hit him hard with both her fists on his back only to end up gritting her teeth at provoking herself pain. He chuckled, the sound vibrating from his chest to her legs as he still held her up.

'Ok, I'll come down...but not in this.' She'll be damned if she would go around in this flimsy nightgown.

He stopped outside her room and put her down, and she noticed he favored her leg. He kept a hold on her arm as he checked her face to see if she meant it. She yanked her hand back, 'You're a brute! I refuse to be ordered about by you like some...'

He put his hand up to silence her. 'You either come down in five minutes or I am coming back up and...'

'Oh shut up! I hate you!' She stormed pass him, sheer anger making her ignore the pain in her stupid leg. And slammed the door so hard, it almost got off its hinges.

'And that's how we say good morning it seems...' She heard him say before she gave the bathroom door the same treatment of the bedroom one.

Exactly five minutes later she entered the dining area. A round table was set in the middle where Klaus and Rebekah stood while another long table along a wall had everything you could wish for breakfast. Toasted bread, fruits, jams, scrambled eggs, sausages, juices, coffee and that was what she noticed with one glance. She walked slowly, trying her best to avoid to limp but Klaus small sigh was enough to know, he was perfectly aware of the amount of pain she was in and therefore him too.

'She deigns to join us.' His sister said under her breath.

Caroline ignored her and sat down at the table after glaring once at Klaus. She took another glance at the other filled up table then her eyes darted to check out the rest of the room. Simple but beautiful decor, everything spoke of wealth, from the paintings on the wall to the carpets under their feet. Hushed voices came from a room nearby and she noticed another door, opposite the one she had come in from.

'I thinks she's expecting half naked humans to come in so we can feed.' Rebekah chuckled softly as she took a sip out of her coffee cup.

Caroline lowered her eyes and still said nothing. She had to admit that the thought that they could actually drink from humans at their table had really occurred to her.

'Do you want some blood now?' Klaus asked her quietly.

She shook her head once, 'Then take whatever you feel like.' he added motioning towards the other table. 'They'll bring some blood bags soon.'

'Blood bags, ewww.' Rebekah commented. 'but I guess it's still much better than your usual bunnies and squirrels.'

Again Caroline ignored her and just stared down at her own hands.

'You cut her tongue off last night, Nik?'

'Unlike you, I don't need to hear my own voice to keep me company, I actually have friends.'

The knife swished so fast next to Caroline's face that even as she moved her head sideways, knew she wouldn't be fast enough and in fact she felt her cheek sting and a warm trickle of blood like a tear coming down. Her hand found the fork in front of her and she threw it towards the other girl. Rebekah caught it in her own hand before it hit her shoulder.

'You little bitch!' The original girl hissed at her as she lowered the fork down on the table.

'Bekah enough!' Her brother roared at her.

'But Nik...' She turned angry eyes on him but stopped and her mouth formed an O as she noticed the same cut on his cheek.

'Oops,' Rebekah winced slightly, 'it's just a nick...Nik.' She smiled at her own joke but her brother thunderous face stopped her. He took a clean table cloth and wiped the blood off his face, his lips pressed in a thin line of anger.

Caroline did the same with hers, feeling her hands tremble as she realised once more exactly how this binding spell worked. It was as if they were suddenly one body, like they were looking in a mirror at each other, that's how exact was their small wound.

'It's wasn't a nick you aimed for.' He hissed through his teeth.

'Neither did she.'

'You attacked first.'

Rebekah tied her hands in front of her. 'Did you hear what she said to me?'

'Truth hurts.' Caroline jabbed under her breath.

Rebekah's hand grabbed another knife on the table.

Klaus's hand closed over hers. 'Drop it...You will not hurt her in any way.'

'Fine,' His sister said as she let the knife go, 'I'll make do with her friends then.'

'Don't you dare.' Caroline hissed at her.

Rebekah went on as if Caroline hadn't spoken. 'The only problem is that I've already killed her best friend so...'

Caroline got out of her chair but before she could reach the other blond girl, Klaus was up and between them.

'Enough both of you.' He looked from one to the other. 'You, stay off that leg and start eating now. You,' he pointed towards his sister. 'go to school.'

No.' Both girls answered back together.

'Oh my Lord, wasn't one brat in my life enough?' He asked the ceiling.

'I'm not a brat.'

'Don't call me a brat.' Again both girls spoke over each other.

Klaus took a very heavy, long, breath inside and then stared his sister down. 'Go to school.'

She stared back for a moment, then sighed, 'Fine.'

'And remember what I told you. Let the hybrids know where you are.' He added as she started to leave the room.

She looked back at him. 'They wouldn't be so stupid as to attack me in daylight and among people.'

'Still...'

She gave him a small smile. 'Okay...you be careful too.'

'What?' He asked confused.

'It can be dangerous if one should forget to think...with his head.' She replied, motioning with her head to the other girl.

'Get out.' He ordered but Caroline saw a hint of a smile on his lips.

'I'll say hi to Matt for you, Caroline.' She added with a smirk on her face.

Caroline threw daggers from her eyes at her. 'Hope he spits right in your face in answer.'

For a second Rebekah's smile drooped and her eyes lowered. _Good. I hit a nerve!_

She turned back to the table when Rebekah left to find Klaus looking at her. 'Eat.' he said again.

She sighed and shook her head. She got up and poured some milk and cereal in a bowl and went back to sit at the table. She made a show of putting a spoonful in her mouth.

A hybrid came in, in that moment with a tray and some blood bags in it.

'Take them.' Klaus ordered quietly after the hybrid left the tray on the table.

'Seriously?! You think...'

'Yes.' He interrupted her.

She dropped the spoon in the milk noisily then grabbed two bags from the tray and put them next to her bowl.

When she saw he kept his eyes on her, she said. 'I'll take them upstairs with me if you don't mind.'

'Are you ashamed of who you are?' He asked, his eyes narrowing on her.

'No, I...'

'Bad idea,' he kept on talking, ignoring her denial, 'since it's who you'll be for the rest of your life.'

'I am not ashamed, I just don't flaunt it.'

'Why not? Being a vampire has helped you change from that little human girl you were. You should be proud of the strong, fearless girl you are now.'

Caroline opened her mouth to retort but found herself just looking at him. It was something she thought too, that being turned had been a blessing in disguise for her, but she didn't like that he seemed to know things about her so effortlessly. Not when she had barely scratched the surface when it came to him. She could also see he meant it, just like those other times he had told her what he thought of her. His gaze was soft as he looked back at her.

'Paying me compliments won't make me like staying here, you know?' She finally said to break the silent moment.

'I have a feeling that nothing will make you like staying here...and you will let me know that very clearly, won't you?' He took a piece of apple from his plate and munched on it.

'Still,' he continued, when she just looked angrily at him, 'the only way you'll leave here is when we're unspelled...now eat some more.'

'You ordering me about was not part of our deal!' She said, her voice rising.

He winced his lips in a small smile. 'Neither the four am music was...I guess, we'll just both have to make do, won't we?'

She grabbed the spoon so hard she felt it twist under her fingers, then raised it to her mouth.

Three spoonfuls later another hybrid came in the room from behind her.

'You have a visit.' He told Klaus.

'Who is it?' He asked him with a small frown.

'Sheriff Forbes.' He replied darting a look at the girl.

'Mom?!' In a flash Caroline was out of her chair and rushing out, ignoring the pain in her leg.

A moment later she was tightly hugging her mother in the living area, near the fireplace.

Liz hugged her back, asking her if she was okay, to which she nodded without speaking against her neck.

'Sheriff Forbes, do you think it's wise coming here?' Klaus voice interrupted their moment.

Her mother's arms dropped from around her as she turned to look at him, 'Bonnie explained everything to me, and while I understand why you told the others to stay away, I'm the sheriff of Mystic Falls, I don't think it's strange if I find a need to visit a house...any house.'

Caroline smiled at her mom. She felt proud of her for how she didn't cower in front of Klaus, knowing who he was.

Liz, turned to her daughter and caressed her cheek. 'Bonnie, also packed a bag for you, she got you the things she thought you would need,' She said pointing towards the suitcase at her feet. 'Your laptop is in there too, so you can communicate with your friends and with me too of course.'

'Thank you.' Caroline hugged her again.

'I talked to the group in the forest, the pack.' Her mother said looking at Klaus. 'They told me they were camping and they are not breaking any laws, so there's nothing I can do about that. They are about twenty five...'

Caroline gasped, 'That many?'

'Twenty six plus the three I killed.' Klaus corrected her mom. He had been doing his homework already it seemed. The vampire girl shook her head. Only Klaus would calmly admitted he had killed three men in front of an officer of the law as if it was nothing more than a passing comment.

'What are you going to do?' Liz asked him quietly.

'What I have to.' Was his short reply.

The sheriff nodded once, then looked straight at him. 'I trusted you once, on her birthday ...and you gave her back to me. I also know you saved her from the council...and again this week...so I have to believe that my daughter's welfare is important to you.'

'Mom?!' Caroline mumbled but her mother ignored her.

'And from what Bonnie told me, now more than ever.'

Klaus nodded slightly.

'Good, then promise me no harm will come to my daughter...you will protect her or you'll have me to answer to...and I know that to you, I may look just like all the other helpless humans, and maybe you're right, but this isn't a normal human being talking to you, this is a mother and I swear that if something happens to her because of you...'

'I promise you Liz, I will keep her safe.' His tone was serious. If he found her threats hilarious considering she didn't stand a chance in hell with him, there was nothing that gave him away.

Something close to gratitude welled in Caroline's chest. He was respecting her mom, as a mother and as a cop. He must have felt her eyes on him cause suddenly he looked at her and their eyes locked, making her breath lodge itself somewhere in her throat. Then slowly his eyes went back to her mom.

Her mother was silent for a moment. 'Thank you.' She finally said.

'Mom?! He brought me here against my will!' This time Caroline's stunned voice was loud.

'Honey, if I had to choose the safest place for you in the world right now, it would be by his side.'

'What!?' Caroline frowned heavily at her mother.

'I'm not saying I like it, but it's the truth... you heard what I said, they are a really huge pack. It would be way too easy for them to hurt you. Please, don't do anything crazy or stupid, stay here.'

Her daughter's mouth dropped in surprise. 'Did you compel her or something?' She asked Klaus frowning at him. The moment that had just passed between them completely gone.

'Seems your mother is the one who have realised exactly what is going on here...and the best way to help you.'

'Thanks mom.' She said sarcastically.

'Honey...' Her mother looked at her with worried eyes. 'I got myself four corpses in the morgue...and I'm scared out of my mind cause I can't help thinking it could have been you...please, just stay here.'

Caroline closed her eyes. She knew how hard it had been for her mother to accept that her daughter had become part of the world she kept hidden from the normal people of Mystic Falls. To even accept that she was still her daughter. And now that she had, she wanted her girl safe. She just didn't know what she was asking her.

Caroline gave her a bright smile. 'Mom, I won't be here long, Bonnie will soon break this stupid spell and I'll come back home.'

Her mother looked like she was about to say something, then seemed to change her mind.

'Yeah, I'm sure of it too.' She smiled back at her daughter but Caroline couldn't help feel that it looked kind of forced. Or maybe all that she was seeing was a worried mom and sheriff.

'Don't worry mom, I'll be fine.' She said.

'I have to go now.' Liz replied before hugging her again. 'I have to...investigate.' The last word dripped of sarcasm.

'...and thank you so much for the bag.' Her daughter added as she hugged her back.

'I will visit again.' She told Klaus as she released her daughter. She smiled one last time at Caroline.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10.

'I like your mother.' Klaus said the moment the front door closed behind her and Caroline sighed, already missing her.

She turned angry eyes on him. 'Well, she doesn't like you.'

'Are you sure?' He asked, 'I think we go along well, all things considered.'

'She's just putting up a good front for me. She'd stake you in a heartbeat if she had a chance.'

'Knowing she'd hurt you, no, she wouldn't.'

She knew he was right. Her mother would always put her first. 'It's what mothers do...well, _real_ mothers anyway.'

They both knew it was a jab at his own mother but she might as well have said that the sun was up from all the reaction she got from him. His face remained as impassive as ever. In fact she was the one to lower her eyes even as she told herself she had nothing to feel guilty about.

How did he do it? How did he manage to show the world this cold mask all the time, rarely letting it slip. And yet, yet she had seen him during his hallucinations, the way he had called out to his mother.

And those other times when he had talked to her, granted, he had been trying to charm her but still she had seen glimpses of a softer side of him.

She walked towards her suitcase and turned towards the staircase with it.

'Aren't you forgetting something?' He stopped her as his hand pointed towards two blood bags on the bar. He must have brought them with him when he came out after her.

She dropped the suitcase with a sigh and went to pick them up. When she turned with them in her hands it was to find him with the bag in his hand waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs.

'I can carry my own bag.'

'On that leg?' He retorted. When he saw she was about to protest he added, 'I either carry the bag or both of you.'

'You are the most arrogant and high handed man I ever met!' _So much for his softer side!_

'Because I want to spare you pain?!' He asked in exasperation.

'Your own pain is all you care about!'

He turned angry eyes on her but said nothing. He cocked his head and just looked at her.

With just his eyes and not uttering a word he was letting her know what he thought of what she just said. And damn it, he had a way of making her feel guilty.

'You do nothing but give orders all the time.' She grumbled.

'Does that mean that you'll just to do what I say from now on?' He asked as he started climbing the stairs

'Sure...when pigs fly.' She hissed.

He rolled his eyes at her and kept climbing while she rushed to his side. 'You have the nerve to roll your eyes at me?!' She shrieked as she climbed alongside him, once again ignoring the pain in her leg. ''I'm the one who's being kept here, I'm the one who hates it here, hates you and your sister and everything about this whole spell rubbish...'

'And I thought the loud music was annoying.' He whispered.

She slapped his shoulder with the back of her hand, only to hiss in anger, not in pain, as the hit reverberated in her own shoulder. She watched his lips twirl up at the sides which made her even more angry.

'It is not funny.'

He raised his eyebrows slightly. 'It is, if you insist on hitting yourself.' She pressed her lips tightly together and hurried before him not trusting herself to say anything else.

They reached her room and he put the suitcase on the bed.

She dropped the blood bags next to it and unzipped the top.

'Oh my God.' She whispered as she took in the contents of the bag.

He took a step closer. 'What is it?'

This...don't you see all this stuff?' She turned widened eyes on him. 'This speaks of a long stay to me!...Oh my God. I knew it! I knew I saw something in my mom's eyes.'

'Calm down, Caroline.'

'How can I? Bonnie packed this for me! If she thought she was gonna break the spell soon she...'

'That's not what it means at all!'

'How would you know?!' She shouted at him.

'Because this is _you_ we're talking about.' He pointed his hand at her. 'Are you telling me that you would have preferred to see one pair of jeans and two t-shirts in there? You heard your mother. Bonnie packed making sure you had everything you needed.'

Once again, she was hit by how well he seemed to _know_ things about her. She didn't like it. She didn't like that he found her so easy to read.

'This will be over soon, love, you'll see.' He said quietly looking in her eyes, as his hand gently gripped hers.

There was something in his voice, in the calm look in his eyes as he regarded her that made her want to believe him and slowly she gave a small nod. Or maybe it was the tingling on her skin where their hands touched. A tingling, like little sparks that went up her arm and that she could _feel_ on his skin too.

A part of her brain was telling her to break the contact but another part was liking it. After a long moment the first part won and with a small movement released her hand from his.

'I'll leave you now.' He said finally taking his eyes off her. He pointed towards her laptop. 'Enjoy your time with your friends...and take those,' he added now pointing towards the blood bags. 'If my leg feels better, I won't have to come back to check.'

At his words, she immediately picked up one of the bags and opening it put it to her lips. 'Promise?'

He chuckled under his breath. 'Cheeky little...' The sparkle of laughter in his eyes made her smile back almost without knowing.

A second later she was alone. She took a long sip of blood and sighed. _That felt good_! Keeping the bag in her hand. she looked near the bed for a plug to charge her pc. That done, she started unpacking her things. She sighed again as she realised that he had been right. Bonnie had really thought of everything she could need. Her makeup was there, with her body and hair products. Even her favourite pair of boots.

She frowned as she drank some more from the bag. When had he learned so many things about her?

_You should be proud of the strong, fearless girl you are now..._

_You're strong. You're beautiful. You're full of light..._

_You look ridiculously beautiful in that..._

'Well, he's got a way with words, that's for sure...' She mumbled as she hang up one of her dresses.

_Small town boy. Small town life, won't be enough for you..._

The remembered words stilled her hand in mid air. Well, there it is. He had been wrong then. Her life in Mystic Falls with Tyler and her friends was all she wanted.

He was wrong. He was.

A deep ragged sigh left her body as she looked out of the window that led over the gardens. She was in the corridor that led to her room, and she had come out cause suddenly she had found the room stifling. She had needed air. She, who didn't even need air to breath anymore.

It was after one in the morning and with another sigh she realised she had been in this house for over a day already. She had spent almost all of it in her room after her mom had left, talking with her friends and later with Tyler. She had refused to go down to dinner and Danielle had brought her a tray. She had nibbled a little at the food but nothing else. The conversations with both Bonnie and then Tyler had left her depressed.

'Don't.' Klaus was suddenly next to her. His fingers over hers as she had put them on the window handle.

She removed her hand away from his. 'You said they couldn't see me through the windows, so I can be here, right?' She fairly growled at him, giving him a side look.

'They can if you open it.' He replied. 'What are you looking at anyway?'

She rolled her eyes. 'I'm looking at the flowers if that's not a problem too?'

He shrugged. 'Well, they are beautiful.' He said, seemingly unaware of her anger.

'Yes, they are.' She agreed. He was standing close enough that if either of them slightly moved they would brush against each other. She darted a quick glance at him and found him with a slight frown on his brow.He looked back at her and seemed on the verge of saying something then stopped and looked out again.

She didn't like this charged silence. 'What are those orange ones called? The ones a little to the left of the white roses.' The fact that it was dark outside, made no difference to her, she could see perfectly all the different colors from the variations of flowers.

'Clivia, I believe.' He replied after a glance.

Suddenly she hit the window sill with her fists. 'This sucks so bad thinking that I just can't go out there!'

'What's wrong?' He asked ignoring what she just said.

She snorted. 'You mean, apart from the fact that I hate it here?'

'Yeah. Apart from that.'

Suddenly she turned to look fully at him. 'Stop it. Stop talking to me as if you know me so well. You don't.'

'I talked to Bonnie too.' He said, looking back at her.

She turned to face the window again. She felt tears burn in her eyes but she wouldn't let him see them. 'Oh, so that's why you're here? You've been stalking my room, waiting for me to see if I freaked out and tried to escape?'

He sighed softly. 'You've been going up and down your room for over an hour.'

She frowned before realising what he meant. 'My leg's feeling better.' The pain hadn't left completely. It was still stiff but hurt much less. Feeding had obviously helped even if she hated to admit it.

'I know.' He replied while his eyes totally said_ I told you so. _'Isn't that's why you're out here, sighing over...outside, because of what Bonnie said.' He continued when she stayed silent.

She gripped the window sill hard. 'I said, stop it!' She didn't want him to be understanding.

'How come you're so calm about it? I thought you would go all psycho.'

'And would that help? She just said it will take a little more time than she anticipated. You don't have to be afraid she will still break this spell.'

Suddenly it hit her. Was that why he was out here? Trying to reassure her? Calm her down? The idea that it could be true made her feel like something warm had spread in her stomach and she closed her eyes and tried to quench it.

'This is all your fault.' She hissed.

'Excuse me?'

'Yeah. If she hadn't had to use such a strong spell to save your ass, this wouldn't be happening.' She knew it was stupid to give the fault to him, but she was angry and she wanted to take it out on someone. Bonnie had said that she had pulled no punches to break the other's witch spell and now, was finding it hard to break her own counterattack spell. Caroline couldn't say she was surprised. It was like she knew it from the start. The way Bonnie had looked at her when she has asked for her help when they had still been at the cabin. Also her mother's face, when she said she would be home soon.

'Well,' he said in a clipped tone that held sudden anger, 'if you had been honest with me from the start about this pack, I wouldn't have been bitten.'

'You...you don't know that!' She stuttered. 'And we...I...we didn't believe them.'

'You did! You were worried from the first moment!'

'Everyone was sure that we had nothing to worry about.'

He snorted heavily. 'You still should have told me.'

'I owed you nothing.'

For a moment a shadow of an emotion passed across his eyes. Then whatever it was, was gone and anger replaced it once more.

'Well then,' he drawled, 'you have no one to blame but yourself.'

'You're the one who brought me here!' She couldn't stop thinking of how Tyler had looked so disappointed when she told him what Bonnie had said. He had almost smashed his iPad as he looked right at her from the screen, his eyes not hiding what he thought of her staying with Klaus.

'You decided to give me your blood, I didn't ask you to.'

'Because I'm stupid that way!' She shrieked.

'Yes, you are, and so is this conversation.' Rebekah stood at her bedroom door, the light coming out from behind her as her eyes glowed with anger at both of them.

Caroline glared right back. 'You do not want to mess with me right now.'

'Woo hoo. Scary.'

Klaus held Caroline by her arm as she took one step towards his sister and she savagely twisted her hand away as if he had burned her. 'Stop touching me!'

His eyes shone angrily in hers. 'Go back to sleep, Bekah.' He told his sister, his eyes never leaving Caroline's.

Rebekah snorted. 'Lord help us. This is what it's all about.'

Both Klaus and Caroline turned to look at her. The other girl, had a half a smile on her lips as she looked at Caroline who was absently rubbing her arm where he had touched.

The young vampire looked at her with a frown still not understanding and Rebekah sighed heavily.

'You're stuck here, so get over it!'.

'This...'

'You think we like having you here?' The original girl interrupted her immediately. 'If it was for me you'd be in one of the cells we have downstairs so don't push it! You just have to hope your stupid friend does a better job this time.'

'She saved your brother's life.'

'By attaching him to you. I think I would kill myself if I was in his place.'

'Go right ahead no one is stopping you.' Caroline hissed at her.

'Nik!'

Klaus rubbed his forehead. 'You are both going to drive me crazy.'

'Just shut her up...you got a lot of options on how to do that.' His sister said to him as she slammed the door in their faces.

'Bitch!' Caroline turned to look out the window again.

'She's right you know.'

'What?'

'You have to stay here. I don't know how long, but it's here you're staying. Now you can be mad about it, and blame me or the whole world, I don't care. You can accept it and make the best of it or you can wake me up and the whole house every night with your music or whatever else you come up with.'

'I hate you.'

'Yes. Yes, I know. Still...'

'Just shut up!' She shouted as she put her forehead against the window glass.

'And stop looking at the bloody garden, if it makes you so miserable.' He shouted back as he pulled her away. She wasn't expecting it and turning, her still stiff leg made her stumble. Falling over him, she rested her hands on his shoulders to steady herself. While his arms went to her waist.

She could feel his strong muscles under his shirt. And she could feel the reaction in his body at having her so close. Chest to chest and almost nose to nose. And if she could feel his reaction, then he felt hers, had felt how her body had shuddered at his touch.

She pushed herself away angrily. 'Well, you know what they say...when there's something you can't have, the more you want it.'

His eyes stilled on her mouth before slowly travelling up to meet hers. 'Tell me about it.' He whispered.

Her eyes widened. She told herself to move away but her legs refused to obey her as they kept staring at each other.

Rebekah cleared her throat from inside her room, loud enough for both of them to hear.

'You know you have a room, right next to where you're standing now. Why don't you do the whole house a favor and use it.'

Caroline's eyes widened even more showing all white around her irises. A hint of a smile touched Klaus lips.

'If I can feel the sexual tension from here then...'

'Shut up Bekah!' Her brother silenced her with a sigh.

'Why won't you listen to me for once and...'

'I said. Shut Up.' His tone turned commanding and his sister heard it loud and clear cause she fell silent.

While talking to Rebekah, his eyes had never left her face. 'So what's it to be?' He asked quietly now. 'Will you accept that you have to stay here for a while or...' His mouth was saying those words but his eyes spoke of something else. They seemed to burn her skin with their intensity as they kept going over her features slowly.

'Like hell, I will.' She said breathlessly.

'Give it your best shot then, love, but believe me, _you're not going anywhere_.'

Her eyes shot daggers at him as she walked past him and went back to her room.

She slammed the door and then stood resting with her back against it.

She was so angry she wanted to scream her head off. She was angry at him cause he always seemed to keep the upper hand no matter what. She was angry at Rebekah and her stupid innuendos and she was angry at herself cause no matter how hard she tried, there was a part of her that couldn't help feel...stirred by something about Klaus. The way he looked at her, when he touched her...

_The spell!_

Of course, that's it! He had never affected her like this before_...had he?_

She frowned at her own question as she walked into the room and sat on the bed.

She had known that this stupid spell would be a problem, she just hadn't realised how much.

_Shit. Why did it have to be Klaus the one she was spelled to?_

Klaus, with his all knowing gaze and the scorching way he had of looking at her.

She mustn't let him affect her so. And she mustn't let his "understanding ways" get to her. He could play nice if he wanted but that didn't mean he was nice. She knew better.

And he could keep her here, but that didn't mean that she was going to just accept it, like he said. She'd make it so hard for him that he'll rue the day he decided to do it.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11.

Caroline dug herself more deeply in the comfortable, large, leather chair she sat on, putting one leg up on the arm rest.

Her eyes left the book in her hands to look around her once more. Thousands of books on shelves surrounded her and she had to admit that she loved it. The library in the Michaelson's mansion had immediately became her favourite room upon discovering it. She loved its quietness and the fact that no one ever came in. She even liked the way it smelled of books.

'So this is where you've been hiding?' Klaus voice suddenly interrupted her thoughts and she sighed heavily. Goodbye quietness, it seemed.

Before she had time to look up at him, a bunch of clothes rained down on her head.

'You really find this funny?' He now asked.

The fresh smell of softener reached her nostrils as she moved a clean shirt away from over her head.

She bit on her lower lip to stop herself from laughing as she saw the amount of pink stuff that had been thrown on her.

'I hope you weren't crazy enough to touch any of Rebekah's clothes cause I really don't think I would be able to save your hair this time.'

'My hair?!' That caught her attention.

'Yes,' he said, 'she did a list of things she could do to you without hurting me and shaving your head was number one on the list.'

Caroline's eyes widened slightly and her hand went up to smooth her hair as if to reassure herself that it was still all there.

'You know what happened to the hybrid who was supposed to take care of this?'

'Oh my God you...killed them?' She said in a trembling voice. 'Oh my...'

'No!' He denied vehemently, deeply frowning at her, 'she now has to go around buying me new stuff...so as you can see, it was of no inconvenience to me...just as it was no inconvenience to me that you left the water running in my bathroom yesterday, flooding my room. It was just all extra work for the hybrids.'

_Why must he always win?!_ She asked herself angrily. He had a way of making her feel like she was nothing but a naughty little girl.

'You've been here less than a week and they already hate your guts.'

'No, they don't,' It was her turn to deny his words. 'They're always very nice to me.'

'Simply because those are my orders.' He replied with a smirk. 'Personally, they hate the stupid pranks you keep pulling...at their expenses!'

Her eyes fell downwards. Her intent had been to annoy Klaus as much as she could. Even if he wouldn't let her leave at least she'd made it hard on him as possible. Now she realized she had only been making it hard on the hybrids. And they had no fault in her being here.

The man in front of her did.

'If it's just at their expenses, why did_ you _shout your head off at me for ten minutes yesterday?' She asked smugly.

He tied his arms in front of him. 'Because you actually had the audacity to pretend it hadn't been you! With your innocent open gaze...as if I would ever believe those pretty eyes of yours.'

She lowered her eyes. He had a way of doing that. Even when arguing he would throw out a phrase or a word that seemed nice in a twisted way, and she couldn't tell if he did on purpose or not.

'I really didn't believe you would stay away from your room for so long.' She said again thinking of how the water had gushed out from the bathroom to his bedroom for hours. She pressed her lips together to stop from smiling as she remembered how he had roared her name for all the house to hear.

'Liar. And a lousy one at that!' He said, his eyes widening on her.

Damn him and his radar to her lies. It's true, the whole house could have drowned and she wouldn't have cared.

'You know, love, if you want to be invited in my room, you just have to ask.' He smiled at her.

'No, thank you.' She answered with a roll of her eyes.

His smile grew wider and showed his dimples. 'Are you sure? I mean...first you leave me that alarm with that beautiful song to wake up to...how did the lyrics go?...something about loving me for...a thousand years...' His head cocked sideways to look better at her lowered face, as her nose and mouth twitched in anger. She still didn't know how that had happened! She had left the alarm on a hard rock channel she didn't understand how it had ended up on love songs instead!

'And then you came back to...prepare me a bath? I mean what's a man to think?' He chuckled now.

'Shut up!' She grumbled, then noticing the clothes still scattered over her she asked in a desperate attempt to change the subject.

'What need did you have for new clothes anyway? What's wrong with you wearing this?' She asked as she put up what was once a white shirt and which now sported some huge pink smudges on the front. 'Or even this?' She smiled as she threw him a bright pink boxers.

'And you do it again! Is this a roundabout way to tell me you want to see me in them?'

'As if.' She replied angrily pushing the rest of the clothes off her.

'What are you reading?' He asked as he picked the book that had slipped off her lap with the clothes. _'Jane Eyre_?' He looked at her after glancing at the worn old cover. 'You never read this before?'

'Of course I have...I just wanted something familiar.'

His eyebrows rose slightly as he frowned at her in confusion.

'I miss my home, okay, my mom...and my room. Jane Eyre is a book I've had in my room since I can remember so...having it with me now feels good...familiar. Well, of course mine isn't a first edition...but still...' She shook her head slightly. 'I bet you don't even know what I'm talking about.'

'I thought your taste in reading would be something less...gothic...more romantic.' He said totally ignoring her words.

'You don't think Jane Eyre is romantic?'

'What exactly is romantic? The crazy wife locked in the attic? Or the fact that Rochester took advantage of a young naive girl.'

'He fell in love with her!' She answered, almost in shock that he didn't get that. 'He thought he would never find happiness...and yet he found it with the most unsuspected person, he wanted to marry her.'

'But he already was...to a crazy woman!' He smirked. 'And he only asked Jane to marry him cause he knew she would never agree to be his mistress.'

'No! He wanted to be with her forever, whatever the cost...and she with him.'

'And yet the moment he revealed his biggest secret to her...she left him.'

'She came back.'

'Months later. To find him broken.'

'But their love still intact.'

'Ohh, so it's not the romance...it's the unrealistic happy ending you like.' He scoffed at her.

'Unrealistic?...Why?' Her eyes widened. 'I'll let you know, that while you may not know much about it, true love exists.'

'No, it doesn't. Not for real, not_ forever_.' He rolled his eyes as he pronounced the last word

She stopped and just looked directly in his eyes. 'I don't believe you.'

He frowned at her. 'What is it you don't believe?'

'This...this nonsense you're pulling out of not believing in love...you once talked to me about art, music, all the beautiful things in this world that made it worth living in it, for centuries... you couldn't possibly appreciate those things if you didn't love them.'

'But that's not the kind of love we were talking about.'

'Love is love, in any kind or form.'

He looked at her for a long moment. 'You remind me of Elijah...he's always...praising the _good_ to be found in love.'

'He's the smart one then.'

He shook his head. 'Smart?...he's still alone after all this time. What does that tell you?'

'No. What does it tell you?' Her eyes met his, challenging him. 'If after all these centuries, he hasn't given up, it means he knows that love is worth searching for, waiting for...'

He scoffed and shook his head.

'What do_ you _think of love?' She whispered.

'What I always tell Elijah, that love is weakness.'

Her lips parted in surprise and she shook her head slowly. 'That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard...love is the opposite of weakness, love makes you strong, makes you capable of doing anything...'

'Oh look,' he interrupted her pointing to a space above her, 'there's a rainbow over your head with a unicorn flying over it.'

She shook her head again and got up, 'Why do I even bother?' She mumbled as she walked away.

'Wait.'

She turned to look at him and saw him putting his hand out offering her the book, 'It's yours, take it.'

'No.'

'Why not?'

Her eyes widened. 'Cause like I already said that's a first edition...an expensive first edition.'

'Which will certainly be more appreciated by you then anyone else in this house.'

She looked at the book, a part of her tempted to have it belong to her. 'No.' she said again.

He sighed and after a giving her a long look said, 'Then keep it in your room...for something... familiar wasn't it?...you can leave it behind when you return home.'

She shook her head and smiled wryly as her hand slowly went out to take the book.

'What are you smiling about?'

'What you...' Did he really not realize what a thoughtful gesture this was? That what he just did was completely at odds to what he had been saying just a moment before? Or was she reading too much in it and this was just a way to try to appease her and maybe make her stop creating havoc in his home? Not that what she did, seemed to touch him in any way. Not really anyway.

'Well?' He asked again when she didn't answer

She shook her head again, 'Nothing.' She said quietly holding the book to her. 'And thank you.' she added before leaving the library.

Ten minutes later, she was sitting on her bed, her back against the head board with her laptop on her knees, looking at Elena's smiling back at her. Stefan was playing a video game next to her with Jeremy. They had both popped their heads to say hi.

'So you already finished the homework I gave you?' Her friend was asking her.

Caroline sighed. 'That's to tell you how bored I am...where's Bonnie?'

'Where do you think she is?'

The blond girl closed her eyes tightly and shook her head. 'I feel so bad for her.'

'Then that makes two of you, cause she feels bad for you.'

'I'll call her later.' Caroline said quietly as she lowered her eyes.

'Hey,' her friend tried to cheer her up. 'Remember how we're always saying how we wish we had time to watch all those TV shows we like, well, you have the perfect excuse now.'

The blond vampire pouted her lips. 'But that would be fun, watching them with you and Bonnie.'

'What?' Elena chuckled. 'You're always shushing us cause we talk too much and won't let you listen to what's going on.'

'Cause you talk about other stuff, not what you're watching!' Her friend argued with her. 'Anyway, I don't have a TV set here.'

'Boo,' Jeremy's voice reached her. 'Is Klaus really that cheap, I wouldn't have thought it of him.'

'Actually, Rebekah took my flat screen.'

Elena's mouth opened in surprise. 'The bitch! Why?'

Caroline smiled as she remembered. 'Well...the first night they brought me here, I may have decided that it was fun to listen to heavy metal at four in the morning...'

'What?!' The three of them shouted almost together.

'Yeah...so she broke the stereo in half and took the TV.'

'Only you Caroline...' Elena chuckled under her breath.

Stefan's face came on her screen. 'You could watch them on your laptop then?'

Caroline shook her head at him. 'It gets on my nerves to watch on this small screen...but if I'll get desperate enough, I guess that's what I'll do.'

'Tell us what else you did.' Again it was only his voice she heard when Elena's brother talked.

'I left the water running in Klaus' room...flooding it.'

The hoots of laughter coming from her speakers made her laugh back with them.

Suddenly Elena made a face. 'You went in Klaus' room? Is it creepy much?'

Caroline's laughter died and she shook her head. 'No, not at all.' She said as she remembered the dark colored furniture with the beautiful paintings hanging on the walls.

'Was he angry?'

'Livid!' Caroline smiled brightly.

'Car-oli-ne.' Stefan said everything with the way he stressed her name.

'Don't worry, Stefan,' She reassured him, 'the only good thing out of this spell is that they can't hurt me...anyway, today he made me realize that it's his hybrids that have to clear the messes I make so...it kind of ruined my pleasure off it.'

'Add pee to his cologne.' Jeremy's voice said.

'Ewww.'

'That's disgusting, Jer, where the hell did you come up with that?' His sister made a horrified face at him as she turned her iPad so he could see the same expression on Caroline's face. His eyes never left the game and he just shrugged.

The girls looked at each other across the screens and burst out laughing.

'But how is Klaus with you?' Elena asked her, with a smile still on her lips. 'You never say anything about him when we talk.'

Her friend cocked her head sideways as she thought about this. _How the hell did one respond to that? _

He was Klaus. With his snarky smile and smart quips. She found a reason to argue with him whenever they were in the same room and he argued right back. He was intelligent, arrogant as hell, and sarcastic and she found herself almost enjoying their fights. It was stimulating trying to best him. Also, he had a way of saying words that sometimes made her doubt if he was really fighting with her or flirting.

Then there were those other times when he took her completely by surprise. Like with the book. Her fingers touched the leather cover softly where it laid on the coverlet next to her.

Or the flowers.

Her eyes went up to gaze at the vase full of Clivias, resting on one side of the vanity. She had come up after breakfast the morning after he had seen her watching the garden to find them in the room. She had stared at them, for God knows how long with an astonished look on her face that he had actually done this for her. She had later told herself that it was a stupid gesture which meant nothing to her, even when fresh ones replaced them a couple of days later, but the truth was that every time her eyes fell on them, a warm feeling would grip her insides and fill her with confusion.

Cause she wanted to keep thinking of Klaus as the dominant alpha male who disgusted her with his cruel ways, not the one who was capable of thoughtful gestures. This one reminded her too much of his vulnerable side, the one she had seen when he was sick, with his sweet smiles and the way he kept searching for her hand to hold, and of how it had felt to...

'Earth calls Caroline, anybody there?!' Elena's voice brought her back to the present with a jolt. 'Well, why don't you say anything? Is he treating you bad?'

'No. No, Klaus is just...Klaus.' Her friend replied lamely.

Stefan's face was back on screen next to his girlfriend. 'You mean, evil and manipulative?'

'A total sociopath?' Elena added.

'And a dick with a stupid accent?' Jeremy chimed in.

Elena burst out laughing once more and Caroline put her hand on her mouth as she giggled.

'Thank you guys. I don't know how long it's been since I laughed.'

'You're welcome.' Jeremy shouted.

'Caroline,' Stefan got serious again as he looked at her. 'Has he said anything about the witch?'

His friend shook her blond head. 'Not a word...but I'll ask again...Tyler hasn't had any luck either.'

Stefan nodded. 'I know.'

'Care,' Elena winced slightly, 'I'm afraid we have to go now...'

Caroline smiled at her friend, 'It's okay, go have some fun for me too...make Bonnie come too, I don't want her in front of her computer looking to unbreak the spell all the time, she'll go mad!' She replied knowing that they would be going to The Grill where they had promised to meet Matt.

Elena waved to her and promised to talk again soon before switching off her tablet.

Caroline closed her laptop with a sigh._ Should I call Bonnie myself?_ She thought.

She turned to grab her cell phone from the bedside when there was a knock on her door.

'May I come in?' Danielle's voice asked and Caroline immediately invited her in.

The hybrid entered with fresh clothes in her arms which Caroline told her to leave on the bed and she would put them away herself.

'Danielle...' The girl turned to look at the blond vampire. 'I want to apologize. I'm sorry if my...behavior has caused you and your friends extra work, my intention was to annoy Klaus not you...I'm sorry.' Caroline repeated as she looked at the short haired girl.

'It's okay.'

Caroline frowned slightly. 'No, it's not, you've all been so nice to me, I don't want you...to hate me.'

'Hate you?! Maybe someone grumbled a little,' Danielle gave a little shrug, then smiled at her 'but personally, I think you're fun. This house is...too serious sometimes.'

Caroline smiled back, 'Thank you, and I promise that I'll pay more attention from now on...to whatever I...come up with.'

The other girl's smile got even wider. 'See you later.' She said as she turned, 'Enjoy dinner tonight.' She added, her eyes twinkling mischievously as she gently closed the door.

Caroline frowned at the door. _What was that about?_

She got up from the bed and put on her shoes. She touched her hair in front of the mirror and dabbed some lip gloss telling herself that she wanted to look good for herself.

Then curiosity made her rush out her room and vampire speed downstairs. She collected herself just outside the dining room and gracefully entered the room. She halted just on the door way as with a gasp she realized that there was someone else at the table with Klaus and Rebekah.

Kol Michaelson was home.


	12. Chapter 12

**Thank you so much to everyone who leaves such nice reviews after each chapter. And I can't believe so many people are following and favoring my story! So thank you soooo much for that too! **

Chapter 12

Caroline took a step inside the dining room and looked at Klaus.

'I didn't know your brother was here...if it's a family thing, I can have a tray upstairs.' She offered even if she was curious as to why Kol was here in Mystic Falls.

Klaus was about to answer her but Kol got up from the table and went to her.

'Nonsense. You're our guest, do join us.' Kol moved over to where she stood and gently taking her hand in his, kissed it. He smiled wickedly and turned to look at his brother, 'Did you feel that Nik? I bet even after a thousand years that's a new thing for you...being hand kissed!'

Klaus rolled his eyes. 'Seems, I'll keep living without knowing.'

'Your loss.' Was his younger brother reply as he kept Caroline's hand in his and led her to her chair, which he pulled out and helped her sit.

Caroline eye brows raised at his old fashioned but nice chivalry and thanked him with a small smile.

He returned her smile even as his eyes darted to his brother, who Caroline noticed seemed to be sitting very rigidly on his chair.

'So do tell me more about this spell of yours,' Kol said as he seated himself back in his chair. 'Rebekah told me how she made you both bleed, may I see it?'

'No.' Was Klaus curt reply.

'But it would...'

'I said no.' Klaus frowned at him. 'We are not your freak show.'

Kol shrugged. 'Okay, relax...it wasn't like I was going to stake her or anything.'

Caroline gasped while Rebekah giggled softly. Caroline's eyes turned worriedly to Klaus almost without realizing that she wanted his reassurance. She had heard how crazy Kol could get and she didn't want to end up being part of some evil stunt he pulled.

Klaus' hand moved towards hers on the table then when it was a few inches apart it stopped. His eyes stared in hers for a long moment and it suddenly felt like they were the only two people in the room. Her eyes glued to his and she stared at him, unblinking. His blue eyes spoke to her and...she felt safe. Slowly she relaxed once more in her chair, not asking herself when had she and Klaus started talking just through a glance.

She looked up and found Kol and Rebekah give each other a kind of a secret smile. She knew that Klaus had seen it too, but his gaze was completely indifferent as he looked at his siblings.

So, it seemed like the younger Michaelsons were up for some teasing. Well, she wouldn't be part in any of their games. If anything she had every intention of getting information out of this dinner.

In that moment two hybrids came in, and started to serve dinner.

Caroline thanked one of them as she laid her plate in front of her, then turned to look at Kol.

'How come you came back to Mystic Falls now? Isn't it too dangerous for your family at the moment?'

'I think I'm offended!' He replied with a small pout on his lips. 'Do you really think a group of dogs has any chance with me?'

'They bit your brother.' She replied.

'Yeah, but that's only because he was playing the hero and like with all new things...takes some getting used to...right, brother?'

'You're hilarious, Kol. Always have been.' Klaus responded quietly.

'To be honest with you. I won't be staying long,' Kol told Caroline, but his eyes were on his brother, 'I came because our Nik here, has a...mission for me. I'll be leaving again in the morning.'

Caroline looked down at her plate and picked up her cutlery. 'And where are you going? Does it have anything to do with the pack or the witch?'

Kol's eyes flew to his brother's who just looked at him. So, for all Kol's bravado, one look was enough to make it obvious who gave the orders in this family.

'That's none of your business.' Rebekah replied instead of her brother.

Caroline frowned at her. 'What?'

'This is a family matter. Our family...and you have nothing to do with that.'

'Klaus?' Caroline turned her eyes to him, who regarded her quietly over the wine glass he was sipping from.

His eyes flicked from his siblings to her. Then said, 'The witch...doesn't concern you in any way.'

'Are you kidding me?' Caroline exclaimed, her eyes wide. 'With everything that's happened ...you're not going to tell me anything of what you're planning to do?'

He looked straight in her eyes. His, looking like blue cold stones. 'I owe you nothing.'

She pressed her lips together to stop herself from gasping at him. From the corner of her eye she could see that Rebekah was smiling from across the table and Kol had a strange look in his eyes as he narrowed them on his brother.

She lowered her eyes to her plate and started cutting her meat as she counted to ten, to calm herself.

So like Klaus, to not forget anything that was said to him and use it to his advantage at the first occasion.

She didn't want to admit to herself that she wasn't only angry but...that his rebuff had hurt as well. Was this the same man who had just looked at her with that reassuring warm gaze just moments before?!

_Serves you right!_ _That's what you get for thinking that Klaus can actually be...decent._

Kol cleared his throat. Caroline looked up and he gave her his boyish smile, 'We always loved keeping secrets in this family. Going on missions and adventures...I guess, we're like that family on that movie...what's it called, _The incredibles.'_

Caroline couldn't well hide a chuckle at that and smiled brightly at him. She'll be damned if she'll let Klaus think he could get to her.

'What's so funny?' Kol asked her.

'I was just imagining you all, in their masks and outfits.'

'Oh, come on, with us being such a good looking family, I'm sure we'd look dashing. Me, for sure cause as a prince once told me, I can make any piece of cloth look good.'

Caroline could almost feel Klaus's eyes rolling or maybe she had really felt it through the spell.

'Don't you agree that I'm very handsome, darling?'

'And modest too.' His sister chimed in.

Kol ignored Rebekah and kept his eyes on the other girl's face. 'Come on, Caroline. Tell us which one of us is the most handsome. And don't be afraid to be honest, you won't hurt Nik's feelings.'

Caroline scoffed, as she took a morsel of meat. 'That would imply he has any.'

'Wow, that's harsh big brother,' Kol said, looking at Klaus with a feign hurt look in his eyes, 'after you saved her life and everything.'

'Oh, she's one ungrateful bitch all right...' Rebekah hissed, then seeing Caroline's hand twist around her knife added. 'Go on, just try.'

Kol turned eager eyes on both girls. 'This could be fun!'

'Enough!' Klaus voice was strong. 'I've already seen it, or a version of it almost every day for the last week and no, it is not fun.'

'Personally I've always felt, a girl on girl fight, a real turn on.' Kol raised his eyebrows suggestively.

'Not if one of them is your sister!' Rebekah frowned at him.

'Yeah, gross much!' Caroline agreed.

Surprised, she raised her eyes to the other girl. She frowned and Rebekah frowned right back. This wasn't the first time they found themselves agreeing on something. And both girls didn't like it.

'Anyway,' Rebekah voice turned sweet so Caroline knew that something mean was coming out of her mouth. 'I think it would be way more interesting to see these_ two _getting it on.'

'Really? I thought I felt something in the air,' Kol smiled at his sister. '...so is it a love/hate thing they got going?'

'No, it's more of a lust/lust thing.' His sister chuckled, 'but neither will give in to it you know, Nik's too proud to risk rejection and she's got a boyfriend and so they release the tension with good old fights and arguments...and you should see when they touch each other, they practically sizzle.'

Caroline wasn't sure she could still blush since turning, but she could feel her cheeks burn hot and stole a glance at Klaus, who seemed to be paying attention only to his food.

_Was it really that obvious how it felt when they touched?!_

'Maybe I should stay longer.' Kol said quietly, his eyes on his brother again, almost like he was trying to figure something out, by looking at him.

'If you do then Bekah can tell you about her love life.' Klaus finally spoke, a small smile on his lips. 'or better she can tell you of her latest crush on the human quarterback, who would gladly pay to see her killed...well, if only he wasn't a broke busboy.'

It was painful for Caroline to stay silent and not defend Matt, but she knew that anything she said would only make it worse.

Kol shook his head slowly. 'Still that loser, sister. Really?'

'You know me. Lost causes was always my thing.' Rebekah replied flippantly.

Klaus snorted. 'Don't you mean losing your heart, not to say any decorum as soon as a boy shows you just a little bit of affection?'

Kol chuckled under his breath.

'You know me too well.' Rebekah replied with a small forced smile.

Caroline instinctively knew the other girl was only putting up a good front. But she had it coming, one didn't taunt Klaus without payback but still she couldn't help feeling a little sorry for her. Being cruel came as easy as breathing to him.

'Well, we are still waiting for your answer, darling.' Kol smiled at Caroline with raised eyebrows as if he and his siblings hadn't just been cruelly snapping at each other. 'Your silence intrigues me, Caroline,' he continued when she just stared at him, 'are you ashamed to admit to have a crush on our brother...he has one for you, you know.'

Klaus sighed heavily. 'Will you stop this nonsense, you're getting on my nerves.'

His brother gave him a one sided smile. 'Niklaus. You always hated to lose.'

'Fine.' Caroline looked directly at Kol. 'You really want an answer...then it's Elijah.'

'But he's no fun!' The younger brother frowned at her.

'Still that's my answer.' From the corner of her eye, she saw Klaus give in to a small smile before taking his glass and drinking some more.

_Had he read through her lie?_ She asked herself not daring to look at him again. Well, it wasn't really a lie, Elijah was very good looking but if she had really been honest then she would have said another name, she thought, as beautiful smiling lips and deep dimples flashed in her eyes.

'I have to say that Elijah did always conquest the most beautiful women,' Rebekah smiled at her brothers. 'So maybe she got it right...poor Nik, no one will ever lose their heart to you.'

'Not unless he pulls it right out of their chest and takes it.' Kol continued and both he and his sister laughed.

Caroline lowered her eyes to her still full plate. The cruel jabs they kept throwing at each other was making her nauseous.

'But thinking about it, I think you got it wrong, sister.' Again it was Kol speaking, 'In all of my centuries I still have yet to meet another girl as beautiful as Isabella and as I recall the Spanish beauty had eyes only for Niklaus.'

'Do you really want to talk about that?' Klaus asked, ice dripping from his words.

'Still mad after all these years?' His brother asked and then seemingly reading the answer in Klaus eyes added. 'Fine...then what can we talk about, if we can't talk about the spell, beauty or the past?'

'You could shut up.' His brother replied.

Kol got up from the table and tossed his napkin. 'This dinner is boring me. I think I will go out.'

'The wolves, Kol.' Rebekah said as he walked to the door behind her.

He gave her a small smile. 'I'll be careful, sister. Thank you.'

'Wait, we still have to talk...' Klaus got up too and followed his brother out of the room as the younger Michaelson kept walking out.

'Do you want to know what happened to Isabella, Caroline?' Rebekah asked her and without waiting for a reply went on. 'She really was beautiful, I have to admit. Great curves, beautiful long black hair, darkest eyes I've ever seen, and she loved Nik deeply, all she wanted was to be with him forever so she kept asking him to turn her. He liked her, I have to say, but the idea of having her forever shadowing his days?' She shook her head, wincing her lips. 'Anyway, Kol offered to turn her instead and she was so desperate she accepted and afterwards went happily to tell Klaus and he...he took her heart out with his bare hand an instant later...and Kol had to flee the continent for at least a decade before Nik could tolerate to even look at him again.'

'Why are you telling me this?' Caroline asked her as she tried to act indifferent to what she had just heard.

'To let you know my brother better. He may like you now, I can see that, but once the challenge, the chase is over, and it always is sooner or later, he'll have no use for you anymore.'

'I don't want to know your brother better.' Caroline replied coldly. 'I want to leave and you want me gone too, so help me, let me leave this house.'

'And what would I gain from that?'

'Me, gone.'

Rebekah shook her head. 'That's not enough to face my brother's wrath.'

'I'll...I'll ask Matt to...spend some time with you...give you a chance to talk.' The other girl offered.

'You think I'm so desperate for a date?' The original girl snorted at her.

'I know you're desperate for him to forgive you for almost killing him.'

'Matt or Nik's safety?' She tilted her head sideways as she seemed to think about it, then looking down, gave a little smile and added, 'Niklaus...I hope you're aware of the snake you brought into our home...she just tried to bribe me into helping her to leave us.'

'Bitch.' Caroline hissed at her under her breath as she saw Klaus at the doorway obviously having heard everything.

'I'll leave you to discuss it.' Rebekah said as she got up and left the room with a swag.

Caroline shrugged. 'I won't apologize for searching for a way out...you know I want to leave.'

'You know what the worst thing is?...that deep down you know this is the best and safest solution.' He told her after he sat down at his place again. 'But you just want to make it as hard as possible...for no plausible reason.'

'No reason!?' She shook her head at him. 'The way you treat each other is horrifying. You taunt each other's weaknesses. I want to be with the people I love and trust.'

'We...' He stopped whatever he was going to say and sighed. 'What you want right now is not my first priority, keeping you safe is.'

'I'll be perfectly safe at home...the wolves don't know...'

'No. No and no.' He growled at her. 'And if you ask it another hundred times, the answer will stay no!'

She stood up, making the chair loudly scrape on the floor, then walked around the table to leave, not trusting herself to speak.

'You barely touched your food. You really should eat more...and what? No, "I hate you" tonight?' He asked her as she kept ignoring him and strode out of the room. 'It was be- coming our thing, the way we always ended our talks like that.'

'Shut up, you jerk!' She shouted from the other room, not seeing the way his lips tilted up at the sides.

She punched the pillow hard under her head for what had to be the thousandth time. With a loud sigh in the dark room Caroline got up from bed. It was useless, she was never going to sleep tonight. She was too charged, too angry, too bored and damn it...hungry too, not having eaten anything at dinner nor fed. The alarm clock flashed 2.36 am. With a small sigh, she remembered her mom's remedy to insomnia when she was a little girl. Hot milk with biscuits.

_Why not? _She asked herself as she slid her feet into her slippers and left her room quietly.

She went down the stairs and was about to cross the living area to the kitchens when a sound coming from the sofa stopped her.

'Who's there?' She asked in the dark. Even with her perfect vision not seeing anything.

Suddenly, Kol's head popped from behind the couch.

'Hi, there, darling.' He said, resting his chin on the sofa's back.

'What are you doing?' She asked him with a frown.

He blinked a few times. 'I was looking for my bed but then this,' he hit the sofa, 'seemed much nearer so...'

'Are you drunk?'

'Yes, I am.' He replied giving her his boyish wide smile. 'What's that look? Are you judging me?'

She chuckled. 'Hardly.' She said as she went closer to him.

He looked at her attire. An old over-size t-shirt over a pair of shorts while her hair was up in a loose ponytail. 'What are _you_ doing here?'

'Looking for a midnight snack.' She replied.

'You pique my curiosity, Caroline Forbes.' He seemed to swirl the words around his mouth to speak clearly.

'How so?'

'You obviously have been a vampire for a very short time cause you still think and act like a human and yet you also seem to be so comfortable in your skin, that it speaks of a much longer age as a vampire...I think I'm getting why Nik likes you...come here, sit and chat with me for a while.' He said patting the empty side of the leather couch.

'About what?' She asked as she sat down like him, sideways facing him. She put her legs under her. This could be the perfect time to get some information.

'Anything. I love conversing with beautiful girls.'

She smiled at him. 'I'm sure you do. So...Mr. Incredible, what's your mission?' She asked going straight to the point.

He smiled back and narrowed his eyes on her. 'Ohh, you're still curious about that...then let's make it more interesting, shall we? We'll play a game.' He said.

'A game?'

He nodded. 'We ask one question each and if one refuses to answer the game stops.'

'Okay...' She smiled again. 'I start. Where are you off to tomorrow?'

He chuckled softly. 'Yes. I do get it...' He said almost to himself. 'I am going witch hunting.' He then answered.

Caroline gasped. 'The one from the spell? You found her?'

'No, darling it's not the way it works,' He frowned at her. 'It's my turn now.'

She sighed with frustration, eager for answers. 'Okay, what's your question?'

'What do you really think of Niklaus?'

'Seriously?' She frowned at him but when he stayed silent waiting for her answer she said. 'I think...he's way too used of having things _always _go his own way.'  
He frowned deeply. 'You disappoint me, Caroline. I want a real answer not you stating an obvious fact.'

'Okay. What is it you think I should see in him?'

He looked at her, his face for once serious. 'That he's lonely...we all are.'

Her eyes widened slightly at his words. For some reason she had expected some jab or joke at his brother's expense.

_Klaus, lonely. Could it really be? _

'You love your brother.' She said with sudden surprise.

His brows went up. 'Of course, I do. I love them all.'

She snorted. 'That's not the way it looked at dinner!'

'What? That innocent bickering? Darling, when you've known someone as long as we've known each other, you can't help pushing each other's buttons...how else is one to have fun?'

'You're one strange family.' He laughed loudly at her words as he nodded.

'My turn.' She said, forcing herself back to the task at hand. 'Is it the witch from the wolves spell you're going after?'

'No.'

'No?'

He frowned at her. 'Stop cheating. I'm drunk not foolish. It's my turn.' He said pointing at himself.

'You and my brother...'

'Oh my God.' She squeaked. 'Don't you have anything else to ask about?'

'No...it's fascinating to watch.'

'What is?'

'The way he is with you.'

'What way?' She found herself asking again. 'You barely saw us together.'

'Sometimes one look is all it takes.' He replied quietly.

_Was he talking about that look at dinner between her and Klaus? _Or something else. She had had the impression that he had seemed to be studying his brother at the table.

'Yeah. One look to get on each other's nerves,' she said with a smirk as she tried to dismiss that look from her memory as unimportant, 'but right, you left before we started fighting.'

'Oh no, I missed that!' He pouted his lips, 'But I was talking about the way...I guess if you haven't known him as long as I have you wouldn't notice it.'

'What?' She asked softly. She knew she should be asking other more important questions but she couldn't seem to help herself.

He smiled his cheeky smile but didn't reply. 'You know he really likes you?'

She gave a small shrug feeling uncomfortable under his scrutinizing dark gaze.

'It's my question Caroline.'

'Ohhh...' She put a wisp of hair that had escaped her ponytail behind her ear.

Did she know? Well, her friends has used her more than once as Klaus' bait so she couldn't pretend she didn't know.

_I fancy you... _

_I enjoy you..._

'Yeah, I...guess he does...in his very own..._very_ own way.'

'So you're aware how rare that is for Nik?'

Something tugged at her heart strings at his words but she ignored it and just shrugged again. 'I think it's even more rare to find someone who likes him back.'

He burst out laughing loudly once more and she couldn't help laugh with him.

She felt someone's eyes on her and still laughing turned to look at the stairs. Klaus stood there. His eyes locked on her face watching her laugh. Her smile died on her lips.

'What are you two doing down here?'

Klaus eyes were cold as he kept staring at them coming down the last few stairs.

But there was something else too, something she was unable to read but it seemed Kol could and whatever it was made him chuckle under his breath.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13.

'I was looking for my bed and Caroline was looking for food and...how did we end up here again?' Kol turned confused eyes on the girl.

'You're drunk.' Klaus said coldly.

Kol's eyes opened wide. 'I know.' he replied in a whisper like he was revealing a big secret, his face so serious that it made Caroline giggle.  
'Go to bed. I want to see you leave with a clear head tomorrow.' Klaus ordered him.

'Is that really the reason you want me to leave?'

Klaus chin jutted out. A clear sign he was getting angry.

His brother tilted his head sideways and looked at Caroline. 'I have to say, you're right...he does make it rather hard.'

Caroline's eyes were the ones to widen now. _My God, was he gonna tell him what she just said?_

Klaus frowned at his brother. 'What the hell are you talking about?'

But Kol ignored him and leaned his face closer to Caroline's. 'But in that case, there's always another alternative...' he smiled boyishly, and pointed at himself. 'Me.' He whispered as he winked at her.

Caroline gasped even as she couldn't help smile back at him.

Klaus took a loud deep breath and growled his brother's name from deep in his throat. 'Kol.'

'Okay, okay.' His younger brother raised his arms up and got up from the couch. 'Darling,' still, he turned to look at Caroline once more. 'You're smart and beautiful, and it was a pleasure spending time with you...but since I'm quite attached to my liver, I think I'll leave for my bed now.' He chuckled at what seemed to be a secret joke while Caroline frowned at him not understanding.

'But wait...' She said. Damn it, she hadn't had time to ask him anything more about where he was going. Feeling Klaus' eyes on her she glanced at him to find him openly frowning at her. _What had she done now?_

Kol took her hand in his and leaning down brushed his lips against her knuckles then turning to his brother said. 'Still nothing?'

When Klaus face didn't move a muscle in response, Kol smiled one last time at her and took the stairs, and in a not complete straight way, went up.

Klaus bored his eyes into hers. 'What was he talking about?' He asked again.

She gave a little shrug. 'I don't know...you said it yourself, he's drunk.'

His eyes narrowed on her and she knew he didn't believe her. He gave a little sigh.

'You sounded in a good mood...' Klaus said to her, changing the subject, as he took a step closer to the sofa.

She gave another little shrug. 'I guess your brother, isn't the total douche I thought he was.'

'So there's still hope for me, then?'

A breath hitched right in her throat at his words, cause while the tone had been more light than serious, his eyes held a clear expectant look he didn't disguise. He seemed to realize it a second later, cause he lowered his eyes down.

'Your brother isn't the one keeping me here.'

His lips twitched as he raised his head up and with a long, heavy sigh nodded once.

Then his eyes traveled back to hers. 'What did he say to make you laugh?' He asked in the softest of voices.

That warm look was back in his eyes and she suddenly found her fingernails very interesting.

'Drunken nonsense...' She mumbled under her breath.

She couldn't take it. She couldn't see that gaze without feeling herself softening back just a little too. And how did he do it? How did he make her forget his coldness, the cruelty he was capable of with just one look? Was this what his brother had just been talking about?

_Nononononono..._She chided herself. You can't go there!

'I...I think I'll go to bed too.' She stuttered as she got up and fought the urge to push her t-shirt down in what she knew would be a useless attempt to hide her legs. She frowned inwardly. She had been totally comfortable in front of Kol like this, but Klaus' gaze made her feel self conscious.

'Didn't Kol say something about food?'

'Yeah, but...'

'I came down for the same reason...shall we?' He asked raising his arm towards the way to the kitchen.

She stared back at him, undecided on what to do but again his eyes, his warm blue gaze...

She found herself giving one short nod and walked towards where he indicated, feeling him follow close behind.

He switched on the lights, filling every corner of the white modern kitchen with light.

'What is that you wanted?' He asked looking at her.

'Hot milk.' She replied with a small smile. 'And you?'

'I came down for a sandwich.'

Her eyebrows went so high up that he chuckled.

'I'll let you know, love, that I'm perfectly capable of preparing myself a sandwich.'

She couldn't help smile back, 'Yes, I'm...sure you are. I just...' She just never could have pictured Klaus doing such a mundane thing as preparing himself a midnight snack.

He went to the refrigerator and took out some bread, mayo, ham and cheese and put them on the counter.

And such a normal sandwich at that! She suppressed a smile.

'Well?' His voice made her look up and she found him offering her, the milk container which he had taken out with the rest of the stuff.

'Oh, thank you.' She said as she took it from his hand.

She stayed rooted in her place as she watched him take out two pieces of bread then spread mayo on them.

He frowned slightly as he realized she was still staring at him. 'The pans are over there...or you could use the microwave.' He pointed with the knife towards a couple of cupboards behind her, and with a small nod she turned and went to them.

'Would you mind heating some extra milk for me?' He asked as she was pouring the milk in the small pan she had found.

'You like hot milk?' She asked surprise in her voice once again as she added more milk.

He tilted his head sideways. 'Actually, I haven't had it in...I don't know how long, but I have a sudden craving for it.'

She took the pan to the stove and switched in on, then turned to look at him again as he put the bread on top of the ham and cheese. A pile of it actually, and she had to say it looked good.

Suddenly she shook her head, it felt almost surreal that she, Caroline Forbes was in a kitchen in the middle of the night preparing sandwiches and hot milk with Niklaus Michaelson.

'Open that cupboard over there.' He said pointing this time, at the top cupboard farthest from her.

Caroline was bewildered by the scene that greeted her on doing as he asked. 'Oh my God...what is this?'

'It's Rebekah's stash,' he said with a smile, 'thought you'd like something with your milk.'

'Something?!' Caroline chuckled, 'there's a whole store in here.'

And it was true, the cupboard was filled to the top with everything you could think of. Salty stuff, hot or sweet. Biscuits, chocolate and candy.

She got on her tiptoes as she tried to decide what she felt like eating.

'Too many good things...' she pouted her lips, 'How the hell is one supposed to make up her mind?'

Sensing Klaus eyes on her, she turned to look at him. 'What?' She asked thinking he was going to make fun of her indecision.

'I was just thinking...how is it possible that you look just as beautiful in that outfit as you did in the silk nightdress?'

'Ohhh...' Once again, his disarming honesty, so unexpected, left her completely breathless.

His gaze traveled slowly up her naked legs to her flushed face. Not really knowing what to do, she turned back to look at the cupboard contents even if she closed her eyes and ordered her heart to calm down. When she opened them again her eyes met a bag of chocolate-mint biscuits.

She took it out and seeing that the milk was ready, she took it off the stove and taking two mugs poured it in.

'You like mint.' He said with a small smile as he cut the sandwich in two, seemingly completely oblivious to how his compliment had flustered her.

'Yeah, I do.' She replied, only to realize it wasn't a question. _How in the hell, did he know that?! _

'Here.' He said as he offered her half his sandwich.

Her eyebrows rose slightly again. 'I thought you prepared it for you?'

'Yeah,' he smiled softly, 'but you've been eyeing it since I started making it so...'

'I did not.' She denied even if she couldn't hide a smile. 'I have these and...'

'Come on.' He said, bringing his hand with the sandwich closer to her face, 'we're sharing almost everything else anyway, why not this?'

She smiled slightly and then took the half he offered. 'Thanks.'

She took a small bite and then put her other hand around the mug to take a sip.

'It's such a peculiar feeling, isn't it?' He suddenly said as he took a bite off his own half.

'What is?' She frowned.

'The spell. I mean, I can feel my sandwich is cool against my hand but I also feel the heat coming from your mug as you hold it around your hand.'

She looked down at her hand, 'I can only feel the warmth.' She answered.

'Maybe it's stronger...the warmth...so it wins...kind of.' He shrugged slightly, then took the other mug and held it. Her eyes studied his long lean fingers around it.

She released her own and held the sandwich in both her hands.

He was right! She could feel a kind of warmth spreading on the inside of her palm. She opened it up and looked at it but of course there was nothing to see.

She left the half sandwich on the counter and went to the refrigerator where she opened the freezer compartment and held her hand in, 'Do you feel that?'

'Totally.' He replied.

'So,' she said as she went back, 'we feel the cold and the warm, the pain obviously,' her lips twitched in remembrance, 'but I still don't understand how it works.'

'Maybe it has something to do with the body temperature...' He frowned as he thought about it. 'Which would be why we don't feel it when one of us touches another person or an object ...cause they are our same temperature?'

Caroline thought about the times she had seen him touch his sister, like in her room when he had kept Rebekah away from her, and he was right again, she hadn't felt that either.

Suddenly her frown deepened as she thought of something else.

'You said you didn't feel Kol kissing my hand?'

'Nope.'

'Then how is it you said you felt me and Tyler kissing back at the cabin?'

'Well, I...'

Her mouth opened in a big O. 'You liar!'

'I did...feel something.' He denied even as his lips tugged upwards. 'I mean, it's said that the lips have the most sensitive skin in all our body so...'

'Shut up! You felt nothing.' She knew she should be angry with him but his smile was so cute at that moment with the dimples out on both cheeks that she couldn't seem to bring her anger forth.

He chuckled but didn't reply.

'Why the hell did you lie?' She shook her head at him.

'I don't like seeing him kissing you.' He said softly.

And so again in less than five minutes, his candid words had rendered her speechless once more. She cleared her throat.

'You have no say on that.' She finally said.

He shrugged. 'You asked and I answered.'

She lowered her eyes and busied herself with taking a sip from her mug. _What could she respond to that?!_

Trying to find something to break the silence, she said the first thing that popped in her head.

'Well, of course there's also that crazy feeling when we touch...'

_Noooooooooooooo!_ She screamed in her head. She couldn't have possibly just said that! She put the mug higher practically hiding her whole face behind it.

If he was laughing at her, she didn't want to see it.

'Yeah, there's that.' Was his only reply before finishing off the rest of his sandwich in silence.

She frowned at the now empty mug, knowing she had to put it down. She turned away from him, and went to put the mug and the pan in the sink.

'I never thanked you, did I? For saving my life...' He asked her back.

'No. You were too busy dragging me here.' She replied coldly.

His lips tilted at the sides, his eyes softening. 'I wondered how long would it be before we were back to that.'

'Yes, we're back to that and anyway, that was Bonnie who saved your life, not I.'

'You gave me your blood.'

She turned to face him again. 'Because you needed blood and mine was the only one available...I bought you time.'

'You couldn't be sure it would be enough.'

'You're...the strongest person I've ever met,' she admitted, 'I figured if there was ever anyone that could survive thanks to be given more time, it would be you.'

'Still, I know all you did for me...well, the parts I can remember...I know you were there, every time I opened my eyes,' he glued his eyes to hers as he spoke, 'you were there, taking care of me, my wound, the fever...'

She felt herself stiffen. 'I stayed...to help, after all you got bitten helping me.'

'That's why you held my hand too?' His tone was soft, the question uncertain.

She could feel her stomach tighten. She didn't like where this was going. 'You called out to your mother...'

Just as she thought, with those few words, his eyes, his voice turned cold. 'What did I say?'

She gave the slightest shrug. 'You asked her to help you but very little made sense, I'm not sure...'

'Good...she's not worth talking about anyway...' He frowned slightly. 'But tell me more...what else happened?'

Her eyes searched his as she tried to understand the reason behind the question. Was he starting to recall those hours? The kiss?!

'Not much else.' She replied keeping her voice even, 'You were unconscious a lot.'

His eyes narrowed on her but she didn't react to his scrutiny.

'Anyway...' he finally said, 'I was trying to thank you...for whatever reason you stayed with me ...thank you...I mean it.'

'And this is how you repay me?' Her arms went wide open encompassing the beautiful white kitchen with its stark and modern simplicity, and he couldn't help raise his eye brows slightly and his lips to quirk a little. Suddenly she sighed and gave in to a small smile. Even she had to admit it had sounded kind of ridiculous cause this house was beautiful._ And thank God! He really doesn't remember!_

'What is it you miss most...well of course excluding your mother and friends?'

'The world!' She exclaimed, 'I've been caved in here for days...I can't go to school or shopping...I'm bored...and this, from someone who loves to read and watch TV!'

'Have a training session with me tomorrow.'

'A what? Why?' She asked bewildered.

'In case anything...bad happens with the wolves, I want to see if you at least have a chance at keeping us alive.'

She tied her arms around her. 'I'm perfectly capable of fighting.'

'Okay, then show me in the morning.'

'No.'

'Why not?' He frowned at her. 'It's the perfect opportunity, the spell could end up being an advantage for once.'

She started to shake her head again.

'You'll get to hit me...' He raised his eyebrows at her, 'or better, you can try...come on Caroline, you said it yourself, you're bored.'

'But I can't hit you hard...I'll hurt myself if I do.' She frowned at him.

'Oh, hit me hard, would you?' He smirked, 'You'll be lucky to even get close enough to try.'

She narrowed her eyes on him. 'Fine. I'll do it.'

'I suggest you to feed in the morning, you're going to need all your strength.' His lips tilted up on one side in satisfaction and it made her think what the hell had she got herself into! Was spending more time in his company a good idea?

'I think I'll go upstairs now...and try to sleep.' She said quietly.

He nodded. 'Me, too.' And after waiting for her to leave the room, he switched the lights off and followed her out.

Over the last few days, she had made it a point to avoid any physical contact with him. She didn't need that 'tingling' (she didn't know how else to call it) feeling, confusing her. And she had succeeded. And now, as he walked up the stairs next to her, their arms brushed once and it was like her skin had woken up and felt his, nearby. It was shocking, how intense it was. Goose bumps crawled up her arm and she hurried a couple of steps ahead to avoid touching him again. If he realized what and why she did it, he said nothing about it.

Once they were at her room door, not having said a word, she gave him a stiff, small smile.

'See you in the morning, then.' She said, her voice almost inaudible.

He looked down in her eyes for an intense moment before whispering. 'Goodnight, love.'

She was leaning against the inside of the closed door of her room a second later, her eyes closed as she let out a long breath, she hadn't realized she had been holding.

_Damn spell! _She thought, even as her fingers went up and down her arm where it had touched his.


	14. Chapter 14

**OMG! I can't believe that over a hundred people are following my story! A story I had in my head for months but felt too complicated to write! I'm glad I gave it another chance!**

**Once again, thank you for all the nice reviews!**

**And now on to the training session...**

Chapter 14.

Caroline woke up the next morning feeling un-rested. The hot milk hadn't helped at all it seemed. Or maybe it was simply that she had too many thoughts in her head, chasing each other and none seemed to make sense.

How could she fight with Klaus one moment, make her so angry that she wanted to throw something at him and scream her head off and then in another moment be like they had been last night. Talking, smiling, just be together, like normal people did.

In those moments she found herself almost wishing she could forget who he was, and why she was here. And that was something she couldn't possibly do!

She sighed at the nervous feeling in her stomach and she knew it was because she was going to spend the morning with Klaus.

She got up from bed and put on some leggings and a tank top. Afterwards she put up her hair in a tight bun at the back of her head.

'You're going to kick his ass.' She told her image in the mirror, who didn't seem much convinced. With a small sigh, she left her room and went downstairs.

Entering the breakfast area, she was surprised to not find anyone at the table. Thank God, for once Rebekah seemed to have already left for school. As for Klaus, maybe he had already eaten. She noticed that there were blood bags on the table, at the place where she usually sits but she ignored them. Since she got here, she was getting too used to feeding on human blood. She would feed if absolutely necessary, once she left here she didn't want to go back in the world and have a problem hanging around humans.

She took a mug of hot coffee instead, and sipped from it slowly as she stared into space.

'There you are. Ready to begin?' Klaus asked, suddenly standing next to her.

'I guess so.' Her heart skipped a beat, at his sudden appearance.

'Good. Then follow me.'

She took one last gulp of coffee and followed him. They passed through the kitchen and took a short flight of steps downwards to the basement.

The gym was big. Tread mills and other training machinery and weights were on its far side and she suspected they were for the hybrids, since she knew that Klaus or his sister certainly didn't need to keep fit.

Most of the remaining space was taken up by thick blue mats covering the floor. So, the training session, as he had called it, was something he did often, again most probably with his hybrids.

She followed him to the mats. He was wearing black track suit pants and a V neck grey T-shirt, with his ever present chains around his neck. Someday, she should really ask him about them.

_No, she should not! What the hell did she care?!_ She scolded herself.

'Why the frown?' He suddenly asked, touching between her eye brows with his forefinger.

She whipped her head back with a start. It was like a spark had been lit right between her eyes where he touched.

_No way! there was no way she was gonna do this!_

She frowned again. 'I think...I changed my mind. I don't wanna do this.'

His mouth tilted at the side. 'Why not?'

She shrugged. 'I...just don't want to.'

His smile widened. 'Coward.' He said softly. Of course, he had felt it too, he knew exactly why she was backing down.

'I'm not a coward!' She fumed, putting her fists on her hips. 'But come on, you're an original. How am I supposed to fight that? You're far way stronger than me...than anyone.'

'Fighting isn't just about using your strength.'

'Says someone who's practically a hulk.'

He laughed at that. A real laugh, with his mouth open and teeth showing and his dimples deep, and she realized that this, was most probably the first time she was seeing him laugh heartily...and she liked it!

'So, come on,' he said as he beckoned her, waving his fingers towards himself. ' Show Hulk what you've got.' He raised his eyebrows at her, still smiling.

Taking a deep breath in, she rotated her shoulders in circles, then moved her neck, left and right. Damn, she was nervous!

She saw him trying to stop his lips from opening in a smile and suddenly she stopped and frowned hard at him.

'Are you laughing at me?'

He shook his head, 'I could never.' But the twinkle in his eyes said otherwise.

She took a step closer to him. 'Has Kol already left?' She asked.

The mirth died in his eyes and he was the one frowning now. 'Yes. Why do you care?'

'I don't.' And suddenly using her super speed she tried to hit him from the side. She only hit air, and not even the one close to him.

'Really?!' He asked with a shake of his head. 'You thought chatting would distract me?'

She shrugged. 'You said fighting isn't just about strength.' Once more she tried to hit him, this time in his legs and got the same result.

'Ohh, so we've got ourselves a fast learner, have we?' He said suddenly, from behind her.

She tried to hit him with a back handed slap but again no such luck. And twenty minutes later, it was still the same, with her not even coming close to graze him, even once.

_And she had actually been worried of too much touching?! _She thought with a grimace.

He hadn't touched her once, just avoided her attacks as easily as if they had been coming from a baby, but never attacked her back.

His face had turned serious and then angry in the last few minutes and now he stopped altogether and tied his arms around his chest, the muscles in his arms bulging up.

'I thought you said you know how to fight.' He said angrily.

'I do.'

'Not from what I'm seeing...' he shook his head at her, 'with all the trouble going round Mystic Falls, I'm actually surprised you survived this long.'

She pressed her lips together. 'Stefan taught me well.'

'Really? Stefan?' He asked now. 'Then I'm disappointed even more, cause the ripper learned quite a few things from me, not to say that he had quite the macabre imagination...but he must have kept what he knows to himself.'

'Don't call him that.' She hissed through her teeth.

'The ripper?...It's what he is.'

'It's what he was.'

'It's what he'll always be.'

'What he_ is...' _She said, her voice getting loud, 'is a wonderful man...I wouldn't have made it without him.'

'I can totally see that.' He smirked.

'He taught me to control my hunger, my cravings...I would have gone crazy without him to help me...and he taught me how to fight!' She repeated.

His head cocked to the side as he looked at her. 'I know your group is a tight bunch...and you more than anyone else, act like their mother hen,' he said quietly, 'but I never realized how close you are to him...'

'He is practically my savior...after that bitch killed me...I couldn't...cope with it,' she admitted reluctantly, 'and I would have lost it all, my whole life, if it hadn't been for him...I owe him who I am now.' She said, love and pride obvious in her voice as always, whenever she talked of Stefan.

'Katherine, right?' He asked quietly.

'Yes.' She said, disgust in her voice, 'that's one sorry ass I wouldn't mind seeing you cut in pieces.'

He smiled wickedly at her. 'I'll save you a seat up front, when it happens.'

'Please do.' She nodded, then after a moment hesitation asked him, 'why hasn't it happened yet? She really bested you all these centuries?'

'Bested me? Is that the way you see it?' He asked with another smirk.

'Well, she's stayed one step ahead of you all this time.'

'At what cost?' He said, his eyes alight, 'She lived the last five hundred years, unable to trust anyone, never able to make a connection with anyone, or settle down even for a little while, always looking over her shoulder...in my opinion, that's a far worse fate than death.'

She looked at the devilish, satisfied smile on his lips and a shiver went down her spine. His darkness, sometimes was so thick it surrounded him like a fog. It filled his eyes with menace. _This, was the Klaus she must never forget existed!_

'When you say it like that...' Her voice sounded sad, but he mistook it for who it was for.

'Are you feeling sorry for her?'

'What? No! Never! She robbed me of the life I should have had.'

'I don't agree.' He said, then seeing the shocked look in her eyes added, 'I don't agree with how and why she did it of course, but turning you, ended up being one of the few good things she did. You were born to be a vampire, love.'

She stayed silent looking at him.

'And I think you know it too and like who are much better now.' Once again, it was uncanny how he _knew_ things about her.

'It's still should have been my choice.' She said softly.

'Yes.' He agreed quietly. 'And now back to fighting or...whatever it is you're doing.'

She growled under her breath as she sprang hits with both arms and then her leg.

Failing the three times, he frowned at her. 'Never attack in anger.'

'Are you kidding me?!' She exclaimed at him, 'Am I supposed to believe you never did that? You, the easiest person to rile up, I know?'

'You're not me.' He replied arrogantly, making her want to poke her tongue at him.

'And why aren't you attacking back?'

He rolled his eyes. 'Believe me, you don't want that.'

She rolled her eyes right back. 'I can take it.'

'Don't come crying to me afterwards.'

She rolled her whole head this time, making him chuckle.

She put up her guard and tried to hit him in the stomach with a kick but almost without knowing, two fingers of his, grazed her neck, 'Dead.' he said.

She went closer to him and attacked again, actually succeeding in touching his T-shirt with her fingernails but only to feel those two fingers again just under her left breast. 'Dead.' He said again.

'Dead.'

'Dead.'

'Dead.'

His fingers seemed to be everywhere. Her neck, her chest, her back. He succeeded in touching her in places, where she knew that if he had used his strength, she'd really be dead.

'Okay. Stop, just stop!' She fairly screamed in frustration.'

After ten minutes she felt like a lighted up Christmas tree with all her skin tingling from where ever he touched.

And even if he was only using his fingers, and she was aware that he was doing so to avoid hurting her, she saw him absently rubbing them together, revealing he was feeling the same tingling in them.

'Just tell me what I'm doing wrong.' She said.

'Everything...and more.' He snorted.

'I told you this was no fair game...you're a freakin' original!' She hissed angrily. 'I kicked Damon's ass among others and he's an old and strong vampire so I know I'm capable of holding my own!'

'Why did you do that?' He asked curiously. 'Damon, I mean?'

_Sooooo, not going there!_ 'Because he's Damon.' She said shortly with a shrug.

He looked at her for a moment, then nodded. 'Yes. It's enough of a reason, I guess.' He said with a little smile which she returned.

'Pay real attention to your enemy. Study them.' He said now, returning to her question. 'When you attack, don't do it in two moves when one suffice, but always, still have that second move already in your head, just in case.'

'Go for the kill, immediately.'

'Never underestimate anyone.'

'Never lose focus.'

She listened attentively as the hours passed. When she attacked again, now, she listened to all he said and tried to act on them. She realized that whenever she had had to fight before, it was always her vampire instinct that had guided her and while it was very good, she could still find someone better than her with that.

No wonder, he had survived for a thousand years. The way he moved, the way he thought, he was a real predator. A perfect killing machine. With strength, speed and intelligence.

She would never admit it out loud, but seeing him like this, made her almost admire him. Admire his skills, _him_ being the way he was!

Finally, when she had almost given up hope of succeeding, she threw him a punch, that while it hit him only on his left shoulder, while she had aimed lower, it was strong enough to send him sprawling a couple of meters away on the mat.

'Gotcha!' She screamed even while she rubbed her own shoulder. The pain was totally worth it. She thought with a smile.

'Little fool,' he said as he got up and went to her, 'you hurt yourself.' Before she realized it, his hand went to her shoulder and he was massaging it with his thumb and fingers.

She gasped as sparks flew where he touched. She stopped breathing altogether and his fingers stilled on her shoulder. They stayed rooted in their places as they both seemed to concentrate on how it_ felt. _

Eyes into eyes. His fingers started travelling slowly down her arm, leaving a tingling that seemed to go from her neck, down all her arm, to her fingers. Heat coursed out to the rest of her body, leaving her legs feeling suddenly weak. She found herself wondering how it would feel, if she touched him back.

_NO! _She screamed inside her head. Taking a deep breath in, she forced herself to blink and take a step backward from him.

'Caroline...' Whatever he was going to say, was interrupted by a hybrid who came in at that moment with his phone, informing him he had a phone call.

Taking the phone, he gave a small nod to her and left the gym to answer.

A part of her brain told her that maybe she should go listen on the call, that it could be about the witch but another part was still trying to understand what just happened. And this part was winning cause she seemed unable to concentrate on anything else.

That stupid tingling feeling had a way of robbing her of thought, speech and breath. And feeling _him_, feeling the same thing was even worse!

_Touching him was dangerous! _She told herself, it was easy as that and she must keep reminding herself.

She sighed heavily even as her eyes fell on a refrigerator next to the cycling machines. Going to it, she took a bottle of water and drank greedily.

That's when she also noticed another door at the far side. She hadn't paid attention to it before because it was really built as part of the wall but now closer to it, she could easily see the knob.

Something made her go to it, even as she told herself it was probably some kind of storage.

The knob turned easily and she peeked inside.

Her eyes widened. Not a storage at all, she thought as she noticed the steel bars on both sides of the narrow corridor. Two cells, which had to be the ones Rebekah had once mentioned to her. It was really dark inside and she opened the door wider to go in when a sudden shuffling stopped her. Someone was in the cells.

She took another step inside and then suddenly she was grabbed and speedily moved away. The tingling was enough to know that it was Klaus before he had released her and was angrily looking at her.

'Who's in there?' She asked.

'None of your business.' He replied curtly.

She looked at the once more closed door, and she knew that if she tried for it again, she wouldn't even get close.

She looked straight in his eyes. 'If it's someone I know...'

'No.'

'Then who?!' She asked again. 'I'm getting really sick of this, you know? We're in this together, I deserve to know what you're doing.'

He narrowed his eyes on her and took a deep breath inside. He shook his head slightly as if he was debating with himself what and if to tell her anything.

'You don't trust me?' She suddenly asked, surprised as the notion hit her.

'Why? You trust me?' He retorted.

Her mouth opened but no words came out. They stared each other out for a long moment.

'I...I trust that you will keep me safe and maybe if you told me what you're up to...I could ...help?'

His eyes shone for a second with an emotion she wouldn't have understood a week ago, now she felt certain, that knowing she trusts him with her safety was important to him. 'Will you tell me what Tyler's been up to with the pack?' He asked.

After a moment's hesitation she gave a small nod. 'We share information, then?'

'One of the pack is in there.' He said, motioning towards the door with his head, 'so I don't want you anywhere near that cell.'

'You captured one. When? Why?'

'A couple of days ago...it's the minor risk for sniffing around my house,' he said, 'and of course what I want from him is information.'

'He's vervained.' She replied.

He nodded. 'Which is why I'm waiting for the vervain to leave his system.'

She looked at him for a moment then said. 'He most probably knows nothing about the witch...only Tony knows who and where she is.'

He nodded again with a smile this time, noticing her small hesitation before deciding to give that information, 'He said as much...so I assume that means Tyler hasn't found anything useful?'

She shook her head. 'Tony is very tight lipped about her...and Tyler can't ask too many questions ...he's trying to find a moment when he can search his caravan...he's only been there a few minutes a time.'

'Once I compel him I'll find out more, if not about the witch...surely more about this leader of theirs.'

'With the risk of sounding heartless,' she said, wincing a little, 'couldn't you drain him from vervain?'

He raised his eyebrows at her. 'I could risk losing the spell in his blood too.' He replied.

'Why do you need that?!' She asked, her eyes worried, 'you're thinking of giving his blood to Rebekah? Bonnie told you it was...'

'Calm down.' He frowned at her, 'I told you I wouldn't do that and I won't...but once we're unbound...'

'You'll still need a spell...'

He stretched his lips in a smile. 'Which your friend won't do for me...'

'You can't force her!...If you hurt her mother...' She hissed at him.

His eyes darkened in anger for a second, then he sighed and said, 'Lucky for you, Bonnie Bennett isn't the only witch on the planet.'

She blinked a few times in surprise. _Lucky for me?_ Was he saying, that he was going to use another witch so as not to force Bonnie. Why? Then another thought hit her.

'That's the witch, Kol's going for, someone who can do the spell for you?'

He pouted his lips, and sighed, 'Could be...but tell me what did the pack have to say about me?...the one in there seemed surprised to see me healthy.'

'They knew you've been bitten...they felt it somehow, but they don't know Bonnie helped you, they think your wolf side was strong enough on its own.'

He nodded slowly. 'I have to go now...Shall we train some more tomorrow?' He asked.

'Okay.' She agreed quietly. 'Aren't you going to tell me more?'

'Good hit before...but aim lower next time if you're really want to do damage.' He pointed towards his heart. His lips twitched up at one side, like he was finding something ironic in his words. Then he turned and started walking away.

'Wait...aren't you going to tell me more of your plans?' She asked again as she started walking towards him.

'There's not much more to say...' He suddenly turned and faced her, and she halted with a start cause they were suddenly too close. 'But you're right, love, I will keep you safe.'

His eyes locked with hers and she found herself whispering. 'Thank you.'

His blue gaze softened at her words, and then she felt a feather light caress on her cheek as he moved a wisp of hair that had loosened from her bun, and clung to her lips.

Her eyes widened as her cheek felt like it had been given a small static shock. She knew he felt it too and she lowered her eyes and took a step backwards.

He gave her one last look without saying anything and then left.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15.

They stood facing each other on the mats once more. She narrowed her eyes as she concentrated hard. She thought of what he had said yesterday, to study her enemy.

Klaus was faster than her, stronger and had deflected all her attacks yesterday, as today, easily.

She needed to come up with an attack he wouldn't expect.

Taking a deep breath, she threw her arm back and feigned a hit to his face. When he moved sideways to avoid it, she hunched down and putting her leg out, hit both his legs.

Just as she thought, he wasn't expecting it and even if he sped away, she hit him just enough to throw him off balance and topple him.

He landed on his back, the mats softening the fall.

'I did it!' She screamed as she launched herself atop him, straddling him, her knees pressing at his waist and her hands on his shoulders pinning him down. 'I did it! I did it!' She repeated, laughing in his face.

She hit his shoulders with both hands like she was hitting on a drum and wiggled her hips all over him feeling very proud of herself as he looked up at her with a small smile on his face.

His eyes suddenly darkened with desire. 'You really shouldn't do that.' He said as his hands went to her waist to stop her movements. She gasped as she realised just what she had been doing and just how intimately attached her body was to his.

His hands moved slowly from her waist to her hips and she felt her breath quicken.

She knew she should get up but his hands pinned her to him.

Her hands were still on his bare shoulders, with the usual tingling feeling going from her skin to his. He was wearing a form fitting, black, ripped tank top which showed his well fit body to perfection. She could also see part of the tattoo on his shoulder. Her brain was telling her to remove her hands but she found herself dragging them slowly down to his biceps instead.

How many times had she caught herself thinking how it would feel to touch him? Well, now she was doing it and she liked it. More than liked it! Her eyes widened as she felt how the tingling seemed to transfer itself from his skin to hers like electric lightening. His strong muscles moved under her touch and her hands tightened on them.

His eyes were on her face, and he seemed to be mesmerized by her mouth. Her lips parted slightly under his gaze and her breath quickened even more. His eyes slowly went up to meet hers and they stared, unblinking, looking in each other's pupils.

Then suddenly as if their eyes had somehow communicated the same thing to each other, his upper body came up and hers leaned down and they met in between, their lips touching first, then the rest of their upper bodies pressed hotly against each other as she kept straddling him under her.

Her mouth opened wide over his and she kissed him greedily. He was just as hungry for hers as he sucked on her lips before his tongue entered her mouth. His lips were as sweet and soft as she remembered and she sighed in his mouth as her arms went around his neck and pulled him closer to her. She held him tighter, her fingers moving over his skull and in his short curls.

His hands roamed on her back, then up to her neck and in her hair, where he delicately undid the bun and released her golden hair, splaying it around with his fingers. He lowered one hand down again and tugged at her tank top which immediately gave way under his strength and she felt it tear right through the middle of her back. His hand removed the torn fabric and she then yanked at his own T-shirt, pulling it up to help him take it off.

She giggled against his lips as the T-shirt got stuck at his chin because their mouths seemed unable to break apart even for a second. They finally did it and their bodies pressed to each other's once more, this time with only her bra between them.

It was like fireworks exploded between them as their skins touched and she leaned down fully on him, his back on the mat again. The tingling was so intense she thought it must be what it would feel like if stars could rain down on her. Every nerve of her was so vibrantly alive. She thrust her hips against his in a rotating movement and he sighed as he bit on her lower lip.

A small part of her brain was still screaming to her to stop but she was loving every touch, every caress, every brush of his lips and hands. Her body was taking over and silencing her mind completely.

His body was strong, lean as her hands moved over the muscles on his shoulders once again and then down his chest, her nails grazing his skin as her hands lowered to his flat stomach.

His fingers went to her bra and he unhooked it. A second later that was gone too and his eyes drank in her beauty as his hands moved from her back to her waist and then higher, taking both her breasts in them, his thumbs erecting her nipples with just one brush. His hands were creating a fire inside her that felt like she was being consumed from the inside out and she tilted her head back and arched her hips against him again. Hard.

His hands moved lower again to her waist and raised her up on his arms, until she stood atop him and he put his mouth to her breast.

She moaned.

'Klaus...' Her own voice startled her and all of a sudden her eyes opened and she was in her bed, in her darkened room, alone. Her heart going a million miles a second.

'Oh my God!' She whispered as her hand went up to cover her mouth. 'Oh my God! Oh my God!' She kept saying in a continuous litany against the palm of her hand.

She shook her head and jumped out of bed. She looked around her to make sure she was alone, but she already knew she was.

Her eyes caught her reflection in the mirror and she slowly went closer. Her widened eyes stared back at her, and she could still easily see the glazed turned on look in them and her breath was still leaving her body in sharp intakes. Her blond hair was disheveled as if really someone had put his hands through the tresses. She abruptly turned away from her own gaze, she didn't want to know what she looked like after having an erotic dream about Klaus.

Because that's exactly what it had been and she couldn't deny it!

_What the hell is wrong with you?!_ She shouted to herself in her head as she sat down on the bed.

You love Tyler! It's him you should be dreaming about, it's his kisses and touch, you miss and want. You. Love. Tyler.

Suddenly she stopped and frowned. Could this be Klaus doing? Had he inserted himself in her dreams? She asked herself as she looked darkly at her closed door, already with half a mind of going to him and demanding the truth.

Then, she sighed heavily. She sincerely doubted she would have woken up if he had orchestrated this dream. And a feeling in her gut told her that, Klaus wouldn't violate her this way, she just knew.  
She shook her head at herself. Seemed that it wasn't only him that seem to know things about her, now, it was her too. And just like he was always right about her, she knew she was about him too.

So no. This was all her doing! Her and her over active mind!

Hours after the fighting training had ended and the tingling feeling long gone, she still hadn't been able to get it out of her head. She had kept feeling that last touch on her cheek as if it had left a permanent mark.

And for some reason, it had depressed her that when she had gone down to dinner, Klaus seemed as he always did.

Cool, composed...cold.

She knew he felt exactly the same things she did when their skins touched. She _felt_ it on his skin but he certainly didn't look like someone who thought much of it.

She knew he liked the feeling when it happened, again she felt it, but afterwards it was as if it never touched his mind again while she...

'Shit!' She hissed in the dark room..._while she went on to have torrid dreams about it!_

If the spell made them feel exactly the same things, why could he brush it off so easily and she couldn't?

_Because Klaus is incapable of _feeling_...anything!_ She told herself. He shut off any emotions, feelings long ago. He's just a monster, and if he knew how the spell was effecting her, he would probably laugh in her face.

A little voice in the back of her head was trying to tell her that maybe that wasn't true and she was being unfair. But she silenced it angrily.

Thinking bad of him made her feel better, less guilty about what was going on in her head.

_And what where dreams really? _She asked herself as she climbed back in bed. Random thoughts going round in her brain, which meant absolutely nothing!

She wouldn't lose another moment worrying over something that meant nothing and that she had no control over!

And tomorrow, tomorrow during the training she would use it to get accustomed to that stupid tingling feeling! She wouldn't shy from it anymore, she'll take it head on and soon she'll easily brush it off just like he did!

Having a plan made her feel better but even so when she closed her eyes, her mind stayed wide awake. She tossed and turned for a couple of hours before finally dozing off and thankfully her sleep stayed dreamless.

Her plan seemed more difficult to partake the moment her eyes met Klaus' over breakfast the morning after.

He said 'good morning' to her before putting a glass of juice to his mouth to drink and she found her eyes glued to his beautiful and she knew, soft lips.

She gave him a small jerky nod, and turned her back to him, busying herself with getting coffee and some cereal for her, while scolding herself in her head.

Rebekah cleared her throat. 'Is this your attempt at blowing off the steam between you two?' She asked them both while looking at their work out outfits.

Caroline lowered her eyes to the bowl in front of her. She really didn't need Rebekah's remarks today.

'I'll make a real good fighter out of her yet.' Klaus stated quietly.

The young vampire's eyes flew to his at his remark. It made her feel good to know that the original hybrid didn't think of her as a complete lost cause, especially after yesterday's session.

'A fighter...sure.' Rebekah's voice dripped sarcasm before lowering it to a whisper and looked at Caroline, 'Just a little bit of advice...the bed's upstairs are much more comfortable than the mats.'

Caroline's eyes lowered once again as she felt heat rising up to her face.

'But maybe comfortable isn't what you're going for.' Rebekah chuckled while Caroline was sure she would choke on a spoonful of cereal as an image from last night's dream of her and Klaus on those same mats crept to her mind.

'Oh, come on Caroline, it's no fun if you don't fight back.'

Her head came up and her eyes shot a bemused look at the other girl, who twitched her lips slightly and gave a small shrug.

_Had Rebekah just admitted that she liked sparring words with her?!_

Klaus must have heard it the same way, cause he gave them both a surprised look before lowering his eyes back to the open newspaper in front of him.

'Maybe I should watch your training...' Rebekah said quietly.

Caroline's hand stilled for a second while dipping the spoon in her milk. Incredibly her heart was hoping the other girl would. She would definitely be a good distraction, but it wasn't to be, cause immediately afterwards the other girl added,

'No...somehow it makes me feel weird.'

Caroline closed her eyes in frustration while Klaus let out a little impatient sigh.

'You're both no fun, today.' His sister stated as she got up from her chair. 'So I see you tonight, in a hopefully better mood.'

'Bekah...' Her brother only had to call her name for her to know what he was going to say.

'I'll be careful, brother.' And she was gone.

'Shall we?' Klaus asked Caroline.

She hesitated, for a moment wishing she could go with the ever useful phrase, 'not feeling well' but unfortunately that had stopped working for her since becoming a vampire.

So with a small nod she got up from her chair and a couple of minutes later they were back in the gym.  
She had put on a baggy T-shirt today, and braided her hair, it was stupid really but she wanted nothing that reminded her of the dream. She noticed that he had a white T-shirt on with dark blue sweat pants.

Her eyes went to the closed door that led to the cells.

'Can he hear us?' She asked and he shook his head.

'Has he said anything?'

'Not yet but soon I'll be able to compel him.'

'Will you tell me what he says?' She asked again.

He nodded once, 'We agreed to share information, didn't we?'

She nodded back.

'Let's do something different today.' He said suddenly.

'What?!' She asked nervously.

He frowned slightly at her squeaky voice but didn't comment on it.

'I will attack you, with slow movements, telling you, showing you how I am going to do it, and you tell me and show me how you would save yourself.'

'Okay.' She agreed as she took deep breaths to calm herself. Hopefully she'll be better at this than at attacking him like she did yesterday.

Two hours later, she sighed dramatically. Could she ever be more wrong?!

She had heard the word 'dead' in her ears so many times, she had lost count, and she felt that Klaus was losing his patience. Honestly, he had every reason to, cause she just couldn't concentrate. She was too nervous.

'What the hell is wrong with you? Where's your mind at? You'd be sooo dead right now!'

He grumbled as he moved away from her once more after touching with his fingers her neck for what seemed the millionth time.

'Don't yell at me!' She hissed back.

She was so right!

There he was, his skin tingling as much as hers from all the touching and he seemed completely unmoved by it. He felt every touch, every brush just as intensely as she did but he was capable of ignoring it even while liking it, cause she felt he did, and there were moments where she caught his eyes darken, or heard a sharp intake of his breath, but that was it and then he was back to business.

She couldn't tell, if he felt that it was the continuous sparkly double feeling that was distracting her or if he simply thought her too weak to fight against him.

Another hour went by and Caroline could feel herself getting more and more tense, she thought her spine would snap in two from the rigid way she was keeping her back.

She could also feel herself getting angrier. Angry at herself for not being able to control her own body. Angry at him cause he instead seem to do it so well, and angry at the whole universe for putting her in this position.

'Turn around.' He said now. 'I'm going to attack from behind like this.' He took both her arms with one arm and twisted them behind her back, in a loose way so as not to hurt her, but he kept her prisoner still, her back to his chest, their arms between them. His other arm went to her neck, his fingers under her chin...and her breathing completely stopped.

'How do you defend your neck from my fangs?' He asked, his breath warm on her neck.

She closed her eyes and tried to ignore all the tingling going around her body.

_Seriously?! _Even if she could ignore the blasted tingling, how was she to ignore his deep voice next to her ear, his mouth almost grazing her neck?

Suddenly her lips pressed together in a tight line. Why the hell was she putting herself through this? She thought furiously. Why did she want to become as unfeeling as he was?

She didn't want to get used to his touch, she didn't want it on her. Period. And she certainly didn't want to become as cold as he was. He could keep his aloofness and his coldness and rot in them.

'I'm waiting Caroline...something an enemy wouldn't do.' He whispered, his warm breath tickling the little hairs at the nape of her neck.

Without saying a word she suddenly hunched her body down, fast as lightning and taking his weight on her back, flipped him back so that he ended up on the mat, on his back in front of her. She felt his hand go for her ankle and she vampire-sped away from him.

She glared at him as he was up on his feet a fraction of a second later. She couldn't even bring herself to enjoy having succeeded in taking him by surprise once. The look on his face was bemused as if he couldn't believe it himself. She turned and started walking away.

'That's not what we agreed upon. You're supposed to tell me...Where are you going?' he asked as he saw her about to leave the gym.

'I'm done.'

'What?'

'What is the meaning of this?' She turned back to face him. 'It's not like, I could ever show you how good I am at fighting enough to let me go home, right? So why bother?'

'Why are you so angry?' He asked confused.

_Because your cold unfeeling ways drive me mad, as much as your touch is doing!_

'I never stopped being angry! Not for a second! I hate being kept here and I hate you for keeping me here and I hate this spell!' she screamed as she ran away.

She stormed in her room and slammed the door behind her. She was so furious she wanted to scream her head off! And she was even more furious because she didn't understand what exactly was she so angry about! Klaus, herself, everything?

She just wanted this spell gone, wanted this crazy feelings gone!

Going to her underwear drawer, she took out a clean bra and panties and went to the bathroom. Maybe a shower would calm her down.

She went back out to her room and switched on her pc, letting it randomly pick up songs from her playlist.

She undressed and stepped in the shower. She massaged her head with her favorite shampoo, trying not to think about anything, which was impossible of course.

A phone call to Bonnie would follow this shower, she decided as she washed herself.

She didn't want to make her friend feel guilty, but she was close to begging her on her knees, to get her out of here.

She stood under the hot water for a long time, letting the water try to ease the tension from her body and wishing it could go down the drain with it.

She got out and wrapped a towel around herself and another around her head. She sat down on the tub edge and started drying her hair.

Something moving caught her eye. She turned her head sideways and let out a blood chilling scream.

Less than three seconds later, she heard her bedroom door banged open. 'Caroline!?' Klaus voice sounded different than she ever heard it before.

'In here.' She said her whole body still, not even her eyes moving.

Suddenly he was in front of her. 'What is it?' He asked, his eyes wide on her. He looked her over almost as if he expected to see her hurt.

'There.' She pointed behind him.

'Where? What?' He asked as he spun round to where she was pointing, shielding her with his body.

'There.' She said again pointing at her underwear.

His body stilled completely in front of her. Then slowly, very slowly turned to look at her as he took deep breaths from his nose.

'Are you kidding me?'

'Oh my God it's moving, just kill it!'

He took deep breaths out of his mouth. 'I've really had enough of your pranks, you...'

'No, no, no, I swear, it's not a joke! It's not!' She pleaded with him.

'It's a spider, Caroline!' He hissed through his teeth, 'You scared the shit out of me for a SPIDER?!'  
'I know what it is, just kill it please...' Even through her fear, she couldn't help notice that Klaus had really said 'scared'. But of course, she knew it was just because of the spell.

He couldn't possibly have been scared for her welfare!

'It's a spider,' he repeated, 'and you're...you're a bloody vampire, even if you weren't...'

Her answer was a hard shove to his shoulder in the spider's direction. 'Kill it!'

With one very loud deep sigh, he slowly picked her fresh underwear with one finger and the not more than four centimeter-diameter spider fell off to the floor where he crushed it with his shoe tip.

'Happy now?' He asked

She sighed and nodded. 'Thank you.'

He shook his head at her as he kept seeing her eyes darting from him to the dead spider on the floor as if to make sure it was truly dead.

'How in the hell can you be afraid of an insect?'

'Technically it's not an insect...' She said lamely

'Really?!' He hissed at her.

His tone, the disbelieving look in his eyes, almost made her smile.

Until she remembered she was angry with him.

Seeing him still frowning at her, she frowned back. 'It was big and hairy and...'

'Big!?' He interrupted her, while pointing at the dead spider on the floor. 'You're a vampire, Caroline.' He repeated.

'So what?!' She yelled at him. 'For your information, I've had a bad experience with a spider years ago, and I've had a phobia ever since...that doesn't go away just because I'm a vampire now.'

'It should.' He said in a clipped tone.

'Well I'm sorry, it doesn't work that way for me...' Her eyes went back to the dead spider on the floor, 'if I think of something like that crawling over me...' She shuddered violently, shaking her head and making water drops fall everywhere.

'You want this?' He suddenly asked as he showed her, her underwear still looped around his finger.

She went to grab it from his hand then suddenly remembering the spider on it, grimaced. 'Put it in the laundry basket...I'll get fresh ones.'

'My God, you really do have it bad for spiders, don't you?' He smirked.

She narrowed her eyes at him but said nothing.

'Tell me what happened.'

'Hello?! Naked here!' She shouted while gripping the towel to herself tightly.

He smiled mischievously. 'You don't say.'

She could have slapped herself at her own stupidity. 'Leave.'

'Not until you tell me what happened...' He narrowed his eyes on her. 'You found one in your bed...or in your clothes.'

She didn't answer and he tied his arms across his chest, showing her he was going nowhere until she told him the story.

'Fine! It got under my shirt, in class.'

'And?'

'And I couldn't get it out!'

'And?'

She sighed heavily. 'And I panicked and took my blouse off...in front of the whole class.'

'Mixed class?' He asked with a huge smile on his face.

'Yes...don't laugh...it's really not funny.' She spat at him. 'At all.'

He shook his head but though he tried, he didn't seem able to keep a straight face.

'I said it's not funny...I had nightmares because of it for ages.'

'I'm sure the boys dreamt of it too...had you already...filled up?' He asked, his eyes lowering to her breasts.

'That is none of your business!'

'That's a yes then.' His eyebrows going up.

'Get out.' She ordered him.

'Oh come on, that must have been a dream come true for them...'

'I said, get out!' She went to shove him hard towards the door but he didn't budge. She tried again 'Out!' as she shouted at him, her wet hair flying around her face.

'So it is your hair that smells of mint...' He suddenly whispered.

'What?'

'I wasn't sure...now I am.' He replied as his fingers moved up and took a strand of hair to his nose.

Caroline stilled completely at finding him so close to her, well, she had been the one to get that close, to get him to leave.

He let the blond tress go and it clung to her shoulder where a water drop ran slowly down her skin like dew on a window glass. His forefinger was suddenly there, tracing the same path slowly down her arm.

The touch was like a light spark, and it brought to her mind a twinkling star and she couldn't remember why, but the comparison felt right and it made her shiver. Her eyes flew to his but his eyes were busy feasting on her exposed skin. He seemed to be studying the freckles on her shoulders, one by one. Then his eyes traveled slowly up her neck, her cheek, and then glued to her own. The blue of his eyes seemed to sparkle with a life of its own. The air seemed to still around them. The fog from the hot shower still in the room, closing them in a small, cocooned world. And her body heaved on a gasp.

Had she really wanted to see a reaction from him to their skin touching? Cause it was just one finger against her arm and his eyes burned with a look of such desire in them that made all the hairs of her body stand up.

He took a small step closer to her and his T-shirt brushed against the towel. Her eyes fell on his lips and she involuntarily licked her own. His lips parted under her gaze and his head lowered slightly closer to hers as his hand closed gently around her arm. Her whole body trembled.

She closed her eyes tightly. Last night's dream suddenly there, every detail vivid in her mind. 'Leave...please.' She whispered, not knowing where she found the voice or the strength to say the words.

With her eyes still closed, she felt him go completely still next to her. She could feel his eyes on her face, but didn't trust herself to open her eyes. His skin, his whole body seemed to be calling hers and if she moved just a muscle she knew she would answer back.

After what seemed an eternity, he stepped back and she felt him leaving the room.

She slowly opened her eyes and then hurriedly closed the door as she felt the prick of tears in her eyes.

Where had all her anger gone?! She told herself. One simple touch, one undisguised look and she had been about...

'What is this spell doing to me?!' She whispered as her eyes brimmed over with tears. How the hell am I supposed to control this?!Tyler's face came to her mind, smiling at her.

'I'm sorry.' She said softly as the first tears fell.

_"...cause you're on fire when he's near you,_

_you're on fire, when he speaks..."_

'Are you freaking kidding me?!' She shouted at the universe, yanking the door open, as the lyrics from the song playing on her laptop filtered through to her. A second later, she banged the laptop shut, that close to breaking it.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16.

A soft knock on the door, woke her up from her sleep. She had dressed up after Klaus left and then cried in her pillow, finally letting herself go. She had cried for this crazy situation, cried because she missed her friends, her life. Cried because she knew she had to keep on being strong and a part of her was slowly giving up.

She wished she could call her friends, but she knew they'd know something was wrong the moment they saw her face. And she really couldn't tell them anything about any of this!

She must have cried herself to sleep, cause she didn't remember dozing off. The long shadows in the room, told her it was late afternoon.

Had she really spent hours, crying in here? She asked herself, almost disgusted. This wasn't her! She was better than this! And stronger than any spell.

'Come in.' She invited Danielle in, after she had heard her call her name.

'Hi,' The other girl smiled at her. 'Dinner's ready.'

She almost said that she was going to stay in her room when suddenly she got up. No, she would not hide away. She had to pretend like what had happened was of no importance at all. No, not pretend, it really didn't matter at all!

'Thank you.' She smiled at Danielle, who left again.

She went to the vanity and applied some make up to hide any trace of tears. She tidied her short blue dress and after passing a brush through her hair, left her room.

When she entered the dining area, she stilled. There was only Klaus at the table.

'Where's Rebekah?' She asked, still in the doorway, as she avoided to look him in the eyes.

'Out.' He replied.

She took a small step in. 'I thought you didn't like her going out after dark, right now.'

He shrugged, then gave her a small smile, 'Are you actually worried about her?'

'Hardly.' She smirked. A dinner alone with him. This wasn't what she wanted nor needed.

What if he started talking about what almost happened!?

'I...I...'

'Let me guess,' he interrupted her. 'You want dinner up in your room?' He asked, his eyes challenging her.

In answer she went to the table and sat down. Her eyes calmly met his. _Let him try to say something! _

The hybrids served dinner a few minutes later and they started eating in silence.

He asked her if she had any news from Bonnie, and she answered she hadn't called her today. Then he asked about her mother and she replied in a few short words.

'You might as well have stayed in your room, for all the company you're keeping me.' He commented.

She snorted. 'I'm not here to keep you company. I'm here because I'm forced to be.'

He actually chuckled, making her want to throw the whole table at him.

'Any news from Kol?' She asked now. She could be as flippant as he was.

'No.' His tone sounded irritated.

'What about Elijah. Where is he?'

He glanced at her before taking his wine glass to his lips. 'In Romania.'

Her head turned in surprise at his words. 'He's looking for the witch's descendants?'

He sighed. 'Among other things.'

'Any luck?'

'It's been centuries, love, and he's only been there a few days.'

'What about the wolf?'

He dropped his fork on his plate. 'When has this dinner turned into a third grade?'

She shrugged and turned back to her plate. 'You want company or you want silence?'

'I thought you said you weren't here to keep me company.' He retorted back.

A sudden thought hit her. If she hadn't been here, he would be dining alone. How many times did it happen, him dining alone?

_He's lonely..._

She stole a glance at him but his attention was on his food. She imagined him at this table alone, every night or almost, and the thought made her...

She didn't care! She told herself sternly and yet, two minutes later, she cleared her throat and found herself asking. 'Do you miss your brothers?'

He frowned at her. 'Miss them? Why? I can see them whenever I want.'

'I meant...' She sighed softly, 'Don't you wish, they lived closer, I don't mean now cause they are obviously helping with this...thing, but don't you wish they were closer by...I know you have Rebekah...but don't you...want a _real_ family? For you to be all together?'

His eyes darkened and his frown grew deeper. She had obviously made him angry with something she said. She lowered her eyes down to the table.

'You're thinking like a human.' He said softly.

She looked up again. 'What do you mean?'

His eyes searched hers. 'As the years go by, the centuries go by, you will find out that saying goodbye, sometimes forever, will become such a natural part of your life, you'll think nothing of it anymore.'

'That's a depressing thought.'

He frowned. 'Again. Thinking like a human.'

'No.' She denied. 'I'm thinking with my heart...something you would understand, if you had one.'

A shadow passed across his eyes and then it was gone. _Typical!_

'And how will thinking witha _heart_, change what I just said in any way?' He calmly looked at her.

She lowered her eyes and gave the softest sigh. Anyone else, would have been hurt, offended or just plain angry at being called heartless. Him? A flash of an emotion held him for a mini fraction of a second and then he killed it. And asked a question, that while legitimate, showed he was just as she had just called him. Heartless.

She got up and pushed her chair back. 'I'm really not that hungry, so...'

'Truth, too hard to handle?' He raised his eyebrows slightly at her.

_Truth. She'll give him truth. _

'Honestly, what I can't handle, is spending another moment with you, right now.'

Another emotion, which she could have sworn was something close to hurt this time, glistened in his eyes and stayed there. His hands fisted on the table and then he lowered his eyes.  
Caroline pressed her lips together.

She had no reason to feel guilty. She thought as she forced herself to turn away and leave without another word.

She walked slowly back through the living area. This man was truly an enigma.

The more she knew him, the more he confused her. She had wanted to see a reaction from him to the spell and when he did, his intensity had almost scared her. Now, she had wanted to see him react to being called heartless and he hadn't, then she tells him she wanted to be away from him and _that _hurt him. Making her feel sorry for having said it. She didn't know what to do anymore, what to think.

Her eyes caught the bottles of alcohol on the bar on the far right side of the fireplace. She needed that tonight. Grabbing an almost full bottle of vodka, she went upstairs.

Caroline walked slowly, around the empty big house, her steps uncertain, the second still half filled bottle of vodka in her hand having a lot to do with that. She had left her room and came down for another bottle, once she finished the first one and then had roamed mindlessly around the mansion's first floor.

She opened a glass door and went in the darkened room. She leaned to switch a lamp on and another faulty step almost made her stumble so she tossed her shoes off her feet, not caring where they landed. She sighed as her feet felt more steady on the carpet underneath them. She took another sip from the bottle then turned to look around her, as she walked in further.

She had been in this room before, she thought as she looked around her and noticed all the paintings hanging on the walls. There were others just leaning against the walls and some more on the long table in front of her. She moved in front of the huge painting, the one Klaus has shown her the night of the ball.

_What had he called them? Oh yes, right...one of his passions! _She snorted even as she couldn't help stare at the beautiful painting. She also remembered throwing his stupid expensive bracelet on the floor here. She looked down at her feet and then started giggling while rolling her eyes at herself.

_Seriously Care?! _She laughed at herself for thinking it would still be lying here somewhere.

'He's given it to someone else by now, some stupid girl named Isabella or something exotic like that...that fell for his lines...and his accent...' She grumbled underneath her breath, before taking another swig from the bottle. She felt herself going backwards, and leaned against the table to steady herself even as she giggled some more.

It felt so good to just laugh foolishly at everything. Her mind had simply stopped thinking about Klaus, about things she couldn't understand. The alcohol had drowned even the reason why she had started drinking in the first place. She wasn't confused by him anymore. Now, all she could think was that she hated him cause she wished she was home with her friends instead of here and knowing it couldn't happen because of him.

Hated him because he was blissfully sleeping upstairs while she had to drink herself in a stupor to stop the havoc inside her brains.

Her eyes fell on a beautiful drawing of an old woman talking to a small child. The contrast was so beautifully drawn, the wrinkled woman's face and the pretty smile on the child's. The kid's face in rapture by whatever the woman was saying. She moved it away to see the others underneath it. A deserted beach in winter, bleak but hauntingly beautiful, the famous square in St Petersburg covered in snow, horses, portraits, narrow streets in Paris, meadows...

_How could the hand that drew this beauties also be the hand that could kill so easily? How could the person behind these, vibrant, almost alive pictures, also be so empty inside?_

Suddenly she stilled and looked around her one more time. _Did he...care for these? Would it hurt him to lose them? As much as it hurt her to be away from her loved ones?_

She raised the bottle up and looking at the huge painting in front of her, threw her hand back and...stopped it again with a sigh. Ruining that, would be an obscenity.

A drawing of Mystic Falls forest caught her eye from the table. She recognized the area, it seemed to have been done more recently than the others. She took it in her hand and she noticed another one beneath it. Same forest, one in daylight, one with the moon shining down through the trees. She picked the second one up...and her own face stared at her from the next one on the table. It was just her face, her eyes mischievous, just a hint of a smile on her lips. She left the forest ones and picked hers instead, and noticed there were more of her portraits. She gasped at them. There was one of her, glaring angrily with her hands on her hips. Another one of her laughing, her eyes shining. She gasped again. The next one had her in profile, sadly looking through a window.

She knew she possessed good looks, had been told so, since she was a little girl, but he painted her like she was the most beautiful being, like...

'How dare he?!' She shrieked suddenly, brushing them away angrily from the table. Some fell to the floor, she shoved the remaining once again, until the whole table contents were in a heap at her feet. She sat on top of them, dropping the vodka bottle, letting the water looking liquid leak out on them.

'You have no right to draw me!' She growled angrily. _These were hers really, she could destroy these! _She grabbed one of her portraits and closing her eyes while taking a deep breath, tore it apart in two. She pressed her lips together and threw the parts behind her back. Her eyes prickled with tears and that seemed to make her more angry with herself. She made her hands tear another one.

'This is what I do to your _passion_!' She shouted as she tore yet another one, and then again and again, not caring anymore what was on them.

'Ha!' She laughed as she saw a portrait of Rebekah peeping from beneath the heap. She grabbed it and tore it in small pieces and then made them fly over her head, laughing loudly.

Her hand went to the bottle again and that's when she noticed the still figure in the doorway.

'What are you doing?' He asked under his breath, as he walked into the room. He lowered himself and grabbed her arms, 'Get up!'

She tried to slap his hands away with her free hand. 'You said, I could do whatever I wanted in this house...I chose to destroy your...stuff.'

'You're drunk.' His eyes took in the ruined drawings around her, strewn carelessly on the floor.

She shrugged and tried to pry his hands from her arms again. Even through her drunken haze, the sparks going through their skins, was making her shiver. Her feet stamped angrily on the shredded pieces of the drawings.

'Give me that!' He tried to take the bottle from her hand, but she put it behind her back.

'Caroline.' In a second he was over her, pinning her to the table with his body and putting his arms around her, snatched the bottle from her hand.

She pressed closer to him to try to take it back.

'Stop it!' They were both breathing heavily, both trying to ignore how it almost sizzled to have their bodies touching so hard against each other, even without their bare skins touching.

'Did I finally rattle you? Did I succeed in touching something you actually care about?!'

'Stop it!' He said again, his face mere inches away from hers, his fingers digging in her arms.

'I did promise you hell!'

'You think this is hell? This is just...petty...and honestly, I didn't think you had it in you.'

She lowered her eyes and tried to move past him but he pushed her right back into him.

'What did you think you would gain from this?!' He chuckled without mirth, 'that I would be so angry, that I would send you away? You could burn the whole place down and I still wouldn't let you leave my side!'

'Maybe burning this whole place down is the only way to get away!' She vampire sped past him and ran out of the room.

'You wanted me pissed off, sweetheart, you got your wish granted!'

He ran after her, seeing her just as she ran towards the kitchen area. He sped after her, finding her turning the stove knobs on.

'Are you out of your mind?!' He pushed her away and switched them off and when he saw that she was gonna try it again, he grabbed her by her waist and swung her over his shoulder.

'Put me down!' She yelled as she pummeled his back with her fists.

'Stop it! You're hurting yourself!' He yelled back, not once slowing his steps.

He dropped her unceremoniously on the couch in the living area, and when she tried to get up, he pinned her down, his hands once more on her upper arms, as he looked down on her.

'You're hurting me!'  
'No, I'm not!'

'I hate you!'

'Now that's new...Stop fighting!' He gave her a little shake. 'Why are you acting like this? Why are you forcing me to be mad at you?'

'Don't touch me, I hate it when you do!'

'No, you don't.' He replied quietly. 'And maybe that's really the problem here.'

She stood still suddenly, her eyes bright with tears. 'I want to go to my room.' She couldn't talk about that!

He shook his head, clearly baffled by her attitude. 'That's it!? You just want to go to your room?'

She only nodded and he released her and she got up slowly.

'You're going to hate yourself in the morning.'

'You think I care about a hangover.' She mumbled before leaning heavily on the railings and going up the stairs.

She closed the door behind her after she entered her room. A lone tear was slowly coming down her cheek. She walked around the bed and went to sit down, but her bottom slipped on the coverlet and she ended up on the floor. Other tears fell and she stayed where she was, her back resting against the bed. The only light in the room, coming from the sliver moon shining through the window.

A moment later, the door opened a crack, "Car...now where the hell did she go?'

'Leave me alone.' She grumbled through her teeth. 'I'm not gonna burn down your house.'

He walked towards her voice, 'Well, isn't that so very generous of you?!' He asked sarcastically.

She tried to hurriedly wipe away the tears from her face but she heard his soft sigh and knew he had already seen them. He sat down on the bed's edge, his leg almost touching her shoulder.

'I told you to leave me alone.' She repeated.

'What can...' He sighed and stopped whatever he was going to ask. 'I can't let you go, Caroline.'

Her head turned with a start to look up at him. She knew what he was referring to but something in the way he voiced those words, made her search his eyes questioningly.

'I'm confused by the way you make me feel.'

The words stilled them both for long moments. She hugged her legs to her chest tightly. She couldn't believe she had said those words, true as they were she would never had admitted if she hadn't been drunk. She closed her eyes and tried again,

'The spell...I'm talking about the spell...I hate this spell! I want it gone!'

Her hair was covering her face, hiding it from him and his fingers touched a strand and put it behind her ear. She closed her eyes against the velvet touch, her brain fogged by alcohol admitting she liked his touch, and liked even more to feel, how it made _him_ feel to touch her, even just that small graze.

'You know I'm not the kind of man who goes for safe decisions, but in this case, your stay here, is the safest thing, the only one..for everyone involved.'

She snorted. 'Then we have nothing more to say to each other.'

'If you say so.' He got up with a sigh and she could feel him looking down at her. She didn't raise her head just stayed as she was hugging her legs to her.

From her peripheral vision she saw his legs move away and a moment later, the door closed.

Caroline stayed where she was, just staring in space for over an hour and then she made herself get up and lie down on the bed. That's when she noticed that her cell phone was blinking. She had received a message. She got on her elbow and grabbed the phone to read it. She was sure it was one of her friends, asking as to why she hadn't called at all today.

Reading 'Tyler' on the message header she pressed the open message button.

I'm coming to get you.

Tomorrow night 1.30am. Glass door to the gardens.

Be there.

Love you.

She gasped out loud and re-read the text. With frightened eyes, she looked at the closed door even if she knew she was alone. She hugged the phone to her with a smile before answering,

OK Thank you!

Love you 2!

then deleted both messages. She shivered thinking how easily Klaus could have read that message just now. She sighed loudly as she smiled in the dark. Tomorrow night. She was going home. Tyler was keeping his promise and getting her out. He had asked questions about the house sometimes when they talked, and she had mentioned the alarm system and the cameras, but she knew little else. But he hadn't said anything else in the last few days and she thought, he hadn't found a way.

And now it was happening, tomorrow. She was going to be free. Free of Klaus. Free of his touch. Free of these thoughts that this damned spell kept putting in her head.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17.

Both her hands flew to her mouth and tears sprang to her eyes the second she entered the room. _Had she really done all this?! _

She couldn't believe that in her drunken state she had been capable of doing this horrible thing! Torn pieces of drawings covered the floor. She pressed her lips together, she hadn't realised she had torn so many!

She had drank to forget. Forget the tingling touches that felt like falling stars on her skin, forget the dream that was still haunting her thoughts, forget Klaus' cold looks or the ones filled with fire. She had felt overwhelmed by it all and had tried to forget everything in alcohol, and this was the result!

She noticed one of her shoes and picked it up, then putting it aside she kneeled down and started picking up the once that were still intact, and putting them back on the table. Half a boy's face looked up at her from the pieces and she recognized it from the one with the old woman. A sob escaped her lips, that had been so beautiful, now the boy's smile was gone and through her tears she looked for the other part but couldn't see it.

'Came back to finish your_ hell_?' Klaus quiet tone reached her.

She was too ashamed to look up at him so she kept on picking the once which had escaped her crazy act yesterday.

'There's no need for that, just throw them all away.' He said in a cold tone.

She ignored him and put some other good ones on the table.

'I'm sorry.' She finally whispered.

'Why?'

She didn't know if he was asking her why she was sorry or why she had done it, but she answered the second option.

She kept her eyes to the floor as she answered. 'I think...I think I wanted to...hurt you...'

'Hurt me?' He asked, his tone confused.

She recognized her own eyes in a piece of drawing in front of her and she picked it up and put it in another heap with the torn ones.

'Cause nothing seems ever to...touch you, nothing moves you,' she admitted with a soft sigh, 'I guess I thought...when you brought me here that time...'

'Then it's my fault...'

Her head sprang up at his words. 'What?'

'I showed weakness and you used it...it's what I would have done.' His eyes looked down at her, completely blank.

Her eyes widened, large in her face. 'But I'm nothing like you! I don't want to be like you!'

'Well yeah...' He shrugged, 'the tears do kind of ruin all your work...but I did tell you, you would hate yourself in the morning.'

'This is what you meant...' She asked softly.

He raised his eyebrows knowingly at her tears and then at the torn shambles at their feet.

She stared at him, her eyes stricken. 'How can you be so...unfeeling?'

'Because I don't have any.'

_That's a lie!_ The thought came so clear and bright to her that she knew she was right. And suddenly it seemed very important to her to prove it. To bring forth the man she caught glimpses of now and then when they talked, when he smiled. The man she had seen on that sick bed at Bonnie's grandmother house. The one who even through his pain had looked at her so tenderly, who had kissed her so sweetly like she had never been kissed before. Damn it! Why did that kiss keep popping up in her head when she least expected it?!

'So these don't matter anymore? Or you want me to believe they never did?!' She asked as she shoved the torn paper with force, making them fly across all the room floor.

_There it is! _The smallest wince of his lips. A shadow in his eyes. And then his face turned impassive.

'They're in shreds, what does it matter?' He replied evenly.

'Because they are yours! And for whatever reason you kept them...they meant something to you...I don't know if it was just memories, maybe happy ones or, or people you once knew or pride in your work. Whatever reason, it was important and I want you to admit it.'

He snorted. 'Why? You want to feel more guilty than you obviously already feel?'

'I should feel guilty! I had no right to do this!' She shook her head at him. 'No! What I want is to know that _you_ feel!' She fisted her hands and hit him on his chest. 'Something! Anything!' She felt the pain in her own chest and shoulders but she didn't care.

'Stop it! You'll hurt yourself!'

'Tell me! Tell me that there's more to you than this dark, hollow being in front of me.'

He took her by her wrists and stopped her. 'Why?' He asked again, looking directly in her eyes.

She didn't fight his hold, she let the now almost familiar sparks lit between their skins.

'Because I've seen it...you, I've seen you...the man who drew these,' she pointed at the drawings on the floor, 'the man who's capable of showing...kindness, and he...for some reason is afraid to show he has humanity in him.'

He scoffed loudly. 'I'm not afraid.'

'Reluctant then.' She said.

'Nothing good comes from showing weakness.'

She frowned at his words. 'Why must you see it as a weakness?'

'So what if I admit there is more?' He asked softly, he had released his strong hold on her wrists but kept them in his hands loosely. 'Would that make you forget the rest of who I am?'

Her eyes lowered down, 'No, I guess not.' She admitted.

'Then what's the use?' He shrugged and moved a little away.

She frowned at him again. 'So you prefer to be seen as...totally _black_ when you're really... grey?' She sighed at her own words.

His lips tilted at one side, and then looking directly in her eyes asked, 'Could you...like grey?'

Her mouth opened in surprise then closed again. She didn't know how to answer such a direct question and what the answer, which ever she gave, would mean.

He obviously took her silence for a no, cause he nodded once, 'See, I was right...no use talking about it.' and before she could say another word, he left the room.

She stayed where she was looking at the space where he had been, a part of her wanting to follow him and answer yes, and it would be the truth.

But she couldn't. Not when she was running away tonight.

In the last half hour she had forgotten all about her escape but now it came back to her. And with it, all the questions that had kept her awake last night.

After the first elation of happiness had gone, she had started worrying about Tyler and how dangerous it was what they would be attempting. She had a million questions to ask him, would the others be helping him? where would they go? where would they hide?

But she didn't dare send anymore texts. Even if Klaus had never attempted to check her phone or hear on her conversations with her friends, she couldn't risk it.

Whatever Tyler took her, she knew she would be away from Klaus and that was all she wanted at the moment.

She knew Klaus would look for her, but hopefully she'd stay hidden until Bonnie finished the new spell or the witch died, whichever came first.

Still thinking about it, she kept picking up the drawings. Dividing the torn ones from the ones who were still intact. She found the piece with the little's child smile in two big parts and even the one of her at the window, but that was too torn and wrinkled to be saved.

She left the good ones on the table but took the torn ones to her room with her once more paired shoes. She felt deeply ashamed at the amount she had torn, and there were quite a few that she knew she wouldn't be able to salvage.

She asked Danielle for some silicone tape and spent hours painstakingly attaching the pieces together. The task took the worry for her escape from her mind and gave her an excuse to stay in her room and avoid Klaus. She was scared he would read something in her eyes, feel how nervous she felt, if they met.

The little boy's smile was back together and she smiled sadly at the picture. She had done a good job but the picture wasn't the same anymore. It didn't speak to her like before. She bit on her lower lip, knowing she had ruined it, forever.

Once finished she put them in her empty suitcase. She wasn't going to pack, she would only take her phone and pc with her tonight. She would need them to keep contact with her friends wherever she would be, but she also knew they would have to be very fast if they wanted a chance at succeeding and a suitcase could hinder her.

Taking a deep breath she went downstairs, and slowly walked towards the door, Tyler had asked her to be, later that night. It was a square wood door with tinted glass. The garden outside looked beautiful even if the sky was heavily clouded. It looked like it could rain. She was tempted to try the knob to check if it was locked, but didn't dare.

Not wanting anyone to notice her there, she moved away and walked towards the library instead. She had to act as if everything was like any other day.

She halted in the doorway when she saw Klaus sitting on one of the leather chairs with a book in his hand.

'Sorry, I didn't know you were here...you're usually in your study.'

He turned his head towards the two large French windows in front of him, he had opened the drapes wide open. 'I like cloudy days.'

She stayed where she was, wanting to leave, but again wanting to act normally.

'Don't leave on my account.' He said.

'I...I want to apologize for what I did,' She closed the door and walked towards him.

'What's done is done, Caroline.' He replied.

She winced. 'I know! I know I can't undo what I did...and I know I have no right to ask you to hear me out...but I'm asking you anyway...' She didn't know if this was the wisest thing to do right now, but she had to let him know. With trembling fingers she put a strand of hair behind her ear.

When he stayed silent, she took a deep breath in, 'I had absolutely no right to destroy your drawings...that was horrible of me and I'm very sorry.' Tears prickled her eyes but she pushed them back, 'I wish I could go back and undo it, but I can't, all I can do, even if it's nowhere enough is tell you how sorry I am.'

He looked at her for a long moment, then gave her a small nod.

'Don't! Don't downplay it...please.' She pleaded, her eyes searching his, as she sat on the chair next to his. 'Talk to me.'

He looked at her again, 'Fine,' he sighed, '...some of those drawings...I've had literally for ages and...and I was attached to them, so...so seeing them in pieces wasn't...pleasurable.'

She winced and bit her lip. 'I'm truly, truly sorry.' She whispered again.

'Others were quite recent...as you may have noticed.'

'Yes,' she nodded, 'my drawings...'

Suddenly he smiled, 'Were they that bad? Is that why you tore them up?'

'No, I thought they were...' She bit her lower lip, somehow it seemed vain to say that they were beautiful.

He gave a little smile and continued. 'Some, where of places I've been to, others...moments that caught my attention.'

'The old woman with the child?' She asked. Her eyes softened on him, he was trying, he was really trying to open up to her. Even if she didn't deserve it.

He nodded as he remembered. 'I have no idea who they were. I remember the boy crying a moment before and then the woman telling him something about where she would take him if he stopped crying...and his face lit up...I just had to draw that.'

Caroline smiled softly. 'Thank you.' She had no right to thank him either, cause that was something else she didn't deserve but it meant so much to her that he was talking to her like this, after what she had done.

'Was that so bad?' She couldn't resist asking.

He gave a small smile back, 'I guess not...maybe I'll...I could even get used to it, if we do it... more often.'

Her eyes lowered down to her hands. _I wish we could. _She thought with regret.

She could feel her heart hammering in her chest and she was so frightened he would realise that something was off.

She nodded vigorously, not trusting herself to speak. 'I'll leave you to your reading now... but again, I am _so_ very sorry for what I did.'

'Apology accepted.' He said quietly.

'Thank you.' She said again, then slowly got up and walked towards the door. Instead of opening it, she turned and leaned her back on it. His eyes looked at her curiously.

Again, she found herself wondering if it was wise to say anything more but she couldn't help herself.

'I...I don't know...if I could ever...like grey enough...to forget the black.' she fumbled with the words. _She sucked at talking in metaphors_! 'But I know that I certainly don't like black.' She rushed out without waiting to see his reaction at her words.

Whatever had possessed her to tell him that?! She was leaving. She didn't need to like grey or black, she didn't need to like him at all.

When they met again, this would all be over and he would probably hate her for escaping. He would be nothing but _black_ with her.

And why did that thought fill her with such regret? Wasn't this what she wanted? She would be free of his attentions. Free of his soul-searching gaze. Free of him.

Night finally crept over the long day. A fine drizzle had started falling about an hour before and the rumble of thunder could be heard from afar. A storm was coming.

Caroline didn't know how she survived, the constant thoughts, the questions in her head along with the worry and fear.

Dinner had come and gone and she didn't know a single word Rebekah and Klaus had said. Rebekah had remarked that Caroline was sulkier than usual and Klaus had given her some scrutinizing looks but had said nothing. Hopefully, he thought her quietness depended on her guilty conscience over what she had done.

And she did feel guilty. Every time she thought about it, she would see her hands tearing up those wonderful drawings and she would be overridden with guilt and shame that she had been capable of doing such a horrible act.

Afterwards she had gone to her room and practically watched the minutes on the clock change one after the other, even as her mind kept assaulting her with nonstop questions.

She knew she was feeling guilty for another reason. There was a small voice in her head that told her, she shouldn't be doing this, that it was too dangerous.

For one moment, she had almost called Tyler and called everything off. But what would he think if she did? How could he ever understand, her reason for staying with Klaus?

And she also admitted to herself that she was afraid of staying longer in this house with him. Afraid of how the spell made her feel, every time she was with him.

At 1.15 she slowly opened her door and with her cell phone in the back pocket of her jeans and the laptop under her arm, crept out.

She vampire sped downstairs, knowing she'll make less noise like that. She immediately went towards the garden's door and she looked out. Nothing to see...yet.

She sat down in the dark, opposite the door, her eyes fixed on it, watching the rain drops slide down the glass and willing Tyler to appear.

The minutes ticked by slowly. When she felt her body about to start shaking from how rigidly she was keeping herself, a shadow appeared at the door.

She ran to it, and her heart stopped. A hybrid, stood there, looking through the glass. She gasped, knowing she should find an excuse to her being there.

He frowned and looked behind him. 'Hurry up.' She heard him say and suddenly Tyler was there, next to him.

A huge smile appeared on her face on seeing him.

'We only have a minute or so.' The hybrid said as he inserted a key and opened the door. 'I switched off the camera facing here, but if someone notices...' _My God, was it really going to be this simple to leave? _She thought with a daze.

'Caroline!' Tyler's whispered voice filled her ears but before she could run into his arms, Klaus' voice behind her, chilled her bones.

'Take a step out and he's dead.'

'Come on, Caroline!' Tyler took her hand and tried to drag her out. 'Don't listen to him!'

With frightening speed Klaus suddenly shoved him out, making him fly several meters away.

'Tyler! No, please don't hurt him!' She screamed at Klaus.

Klaus turned to look at her and for the first time, she was really afraid of him. She had never seen his eyes so cold, so angry and with such pure evil hatred in them!

'I...'

'Don't you dare utter a single word to me!' He yelled before turning back to face the door. A flash of lightening and soon afterwards thunder rumbled loudly.

Tyler had got up and was coming towards the door again, when the other young hybrid pushed him back again.

'Matthew?' Tyler called his name, confusion all over his face.

'I'm sorry.' He said before attacking Tyler again. Of course, he may have been willing to help them but now with Klaus there, he had no choice but to take his side again, and even doing that, she wasn't sure that Klaus would let him live after his betrayal.

'Klaus...'

'Don't.' He ordered her, still giving her his back and looking at the two outside.

Tyler looked from the hybrid to Caroline. His hair plastered to his head, now with the rain coming down much harder. He whispered her name, obviously torn on what to do.

Before he could decide, two men and a woman appeared behind him and Caroline knew for sure they were from the pack. Had Tyler brought them with him? But he certainly wouldn't help them take Klaus, would he?

Two of them attacked the hybrid, while the other male came towards the door.

Tyler ran after him 'No!' he shouted before he shoved him off with all his strength, and the wolf scrambled to the muddy ground, which had become slippery from the rain.

The wolf turned on Tyler then, and they started hitting each other.

'Bloody hell!' Klaus eyes went to Matthew who was obviously losing against the two wolves, and in fact a moment later the hybrid was dead, his neck broken.

Now both other wolves turned to Tyler.

Caroline screamed as she tried to go out too but Klaus pushed her back.

'Help him! Please, help him!' She pleaded with Klaus.

He tilted his head, sideways as if to say, why should I?

'I'll do anything you say, I'll stay here for as long as you want, I won't cause you anymore trouble I promise...but please, help him!'

His eyes narrowed on hers. 'Please...' She repeated, tears forming in her eyes. 'I promise, I'll stay...just...'

'If you try to come out, I'll kill him myself.' He answered before he was out under the rain, firmly closing the door behind him.

She stayed behind it, her hands on the glass as her eyes frantically tried to follow all that was happening.

Suddenly Rebekah was next to her.

'What the hell is going on? Oh my God, Nik?' Rebekah's hand went to the door knob but Caroline stopped her.

'They're from the pack! You can't go out! It's too dangerous for you!'

Rebekah frowned at her. 'Is that your bloody boyfriend out there? Is he trying to get Nik killed?'

'Klaus is helping him.'

'Why should he do that? And why are the pack attacking Tyler, I thought they were his friends?'

'Cause I asked him to.' Caroline only answered the first question.

'Figures! I keep telling him that he's not thinking with his head anymore...'

Suddenly Caroline felt a huge pain in her chest and she doubled over.

'What the hell?' Rebekah turned to look at her and then suddenly realised, 'Nik!'

In fact her brother was on the ground or had been a second before as he rolled and got up and with a large leap was suddenly back on his feet, his clothes dripping water and mud.

Another of his hybrids had come to help and was fighting against a big, black wolf but Klaus had two to contend with.

'You're both going to die.' Klaus said quietly as Tyler came to his side.

Suddenly they both started to shift into wolves and without hesitation Klaus threw himself on one of them and dug his hand into his chest and tore his heart out. He threw the organ away from his bloody hand and turned to face the other one who had already turned into a brown wolf.

Tyler threw a knife at it, and it stuck on the wolf's brown fur shoulder. It suddenly turned angry golden eyes on the young hybrid.

Another wolf still in human form appeared out of nowhere and lounged himself on Klaus who swished fast by it.

Caroline could swear she felt the warm air on her own cheeks.

One mighty jump and Klaus got up on a tree nearby. He looked around him and jumped in front of the wolf about to attack Tyler and grabbed him by the neck. One snap and the wolf was dead.

'Where are the other hybrids? Why aren't they helping too?' She asked Rebekah.

'Their first order is to make sure the house is secure...since you're in it!' The other girl hissed at her.

Caroline gasped even as her eyes never left the scene in front of her.

A stake appeared in the hand of the one of the two remaining. Klaus smirked knowing that it couldn't kill him but then suddenly he turned his eyes to the door. She stared back, even if she knew he couldn't see her behind the tinted glass, eyes wide. He would surely survive a normal stake but would she?

The original hybrid moved slowly towards the young man.

'Leave now and I'll spare your life.' He told him, his eyes were fierce.

With a loud shout the other attacked. The stake grazed Klaus shoulder and Caroline grabbed her own as she felt a searing pain in it, and blood oozed out from between her fingers.

'Klaus...' She gasped his name. She glued her eyes on him. The scene in front of her seemed to happen in slow motion. Even if she stayed in place, her body was feeling every movement that Klaus was doing or maybe she was just imagining she was, so intent was she on him.

'Don't move.' He ordered Tyler before suddenly appearing behind the guy from the pack. Before he could sink his fangs in his neck, the man swirled down and escaped Klaus' clutches, and tried to hit Klaus with his legs to make him fall, but he never even came close. Suddenly Klaus was behind him again and a second later his heart was in his claws, after he had tore it out of his chest cavity from his back.

The body fell with a thud to the ground. Klaus turned around and then swore loudly.

His second hybrid laid on the ground, dead too.

Klaus was so fast, Caroline couldn't even be sure of what he had done, before she saw the black wolf dead on the grass too.

Only then did she let a huge breath out, almost choking on it. She opened the door, her eyes on Klaus.

'Caroline...'

Stunned she turned to look at Tyler, who was looking at her with a strange look in his eyes.

'I'm fine.' She assured him, as she opened the door. 'See...' She showed him that the graze was already almost healed. She felt the rain immediately start soaking her hair and clothes.

Suddenly Klaus was in the space dividing them. His clothes soaked too with mud, water and blood from the stake brush with his shoulder.

'Go back inside. There could be more.' He told her, then turning to look at her boyfriend said, 'You're alive because of her, but try something like this again and I swear I will rip your heart out before you can say her name again.'

'Klaus...'

'Shut up and go inside.' He told Caroline not looking at her.

Her eyes filled with tears as she looked at Tyler.

'She doesn't want to be kept here, don't you see that?'

'And don't you see that your stupid plan almost got her killed?' His sire hissed at him.

'No. Tyler, don't listen...' Caroline started to say.

'How dare you?!' Klaus hissed at her, his eyes flashing angrily to her for a second, before turning back to Tyler. 'Why were they here? Were they part of your plan?'

'No...'

'Do they know about the spell? That she's staying here?'

'No! Of course not!' Tyler shouted back, above the rain's noise. 'I told them she left town for a while because of a family problem.'

'So why bring a stake? They know it wouldn't kill me!' Klaus kept firing questions at him.

Tyler opened his arms in surrender. 'I don't know, I didn't tell anyone that I was coming here...' he looked at Caroline, his eyes sad, 'they stopped keeping eye on your house, the last couple of days...or so they told me, I don't know, maybe they saw an opportunity and took it...as for the stake, they still think they can kill you with their venom...maybe they wanted to injure you enough to take you away...like their plan last time.'

Another loud thunder clapped above their heads as the rain kept falling around them.

'If something had happened to my brother...' Rebekah stood in the doorway, her eyes flashing angrily at Tyler.

Slowly Klaus turned to look at Caroline, his hair looked darker wet, and rain drops were running down his face but he seemed oblivious to everything except her, as his eyes stared down in hers. 'Your boyfriend is safe, love, are you going to keep the promise you just made me or...'

'I'll stay.' She whispered.

'You son of a bitch.' Tyler took a step towards him, then seemed to remember the spell and stopped.

'You're welcome, for saving your life.' His sire told him, '...now leave my premises, before I decide to end what they began...oh and in case you didn't realise, your _friends_ just tried to kill you. I don't think they're buying into your story of being on their side...or they just don't care.'

'What will you do now?' Caroline asked her boyfriend. 'Don't go back to them, it's too dangerous.'

'I'll find a way to find out what happened exactly...I'll be careful.'

Klaus gave Tyler his back, and taking Caroline firmly by the arm, took her inside. He then closed the door behind him.

Caroline looked at Tyler through the glass.

'I love you.' He said looking at the door even if he couldn't see her.

'I'm sorry.' She whispered back, tears mingling with the rain drops on her face.


	18. Chapter 18

**Thank you for all the nice compliments, reviews and the number of followers that keep growing up! Have to say I feel a little bit overwhelmed by all the love this story is getting! In a good way of course but I also can't help feeling the tension that I could disappoint you at some point! **

**Hope that doesn't happen and that you keep enjoying the story!**

**But enough of my babbling...here's the new chapter!**

Chapter 18.

A small group of hybrids rushed into the room.

One of them spoke up. 'House and grounds all safe. No one else around.'

'Oh my God! Matthew...Ray...' Danielle was looking outside, her eyes fixed on her friends' dead bodies.

'Clean the mess out there...I want no evidence of what just happened here...leave the wolves bodies at their camp...I want them to see their friends, dead.' Klaus ordered them coldly with malice in his eyes. 'And don't feel sorry for Matthew...he paid the price for trying to help Caroline leave this house.'

Danielle gasped and turned to look at Caroline. Her eyes angry even as they shined with tears. Looking at the other hybrids, the blond vampire noticed they were all glaring angrily at her.

Now they really hated her, and with good cause. They had lost two friends tonight, because of her.

Without another word, the hybrids went out in the rain, closing the door behind them and started moving away the bodies.

'Th..thank you.'

'Ha! Now she_ thanks _me!' Klaus guffawed, raising his arms up, and making rain water fly everywhere. 'You just cost me another two of my hybrids with your stupid plan, why can't you just stay put?!'

'Why won't _you_ listen to me?!' His sister asked him. 'Lock her up...or better still, compel her to obey you...in _everything.'_

Caroline heard the stress on the last word and she gave a sharp intake of breath inside.

Klaus looked at his sister for a heartbeat then turned his eyes on her.

Caroline's eyes widened. 'I said I will do everything you say, I won't cause you anymore trouble...I swear, I won't leave this house, until you tell me to, until the spell is broken...I give you my word.'

'It's not enough...' He replied as he walked to the chair where she had been sitting and taking her laptop, that she had left there. 'Give me your phone.'

'What? You can't take that...'

'Watch me!' He said as he took out his hand, palm up towards her.

She still hesitated.

'Now!' He shouted.  
She pressed her lips together and taking her phone out of her pocket, gave it to him.

'Go to your room.'

She let out a ragged breath. 'Are you gonna lock me in there?'

'I'm debating it.'

Rebekah sighed heavily. 'Finally, he's thinking with his head again!'

'Stay out of this Rebekah, or you could find yourself closed in something much smaller than a room.'

His sister's mouth opened wide at his words. 'Are you _kidding_ me?' She shouted at him.

'That bitch brings havoc to this house and I'm the one being threatened?' She raised her hands in the air, 'No, I guess I was wrong, you're still thinking with...'

'Bekah!' Klaus' eyes flashed angrily at her.

The original girl shook her head and went back up the stairs but not before they both heard her mumble 'Just shag her already! Maybe then we'll have some peace in this house.'

'Still here?' He asked Caroline.

Giving one last look at her phone and pc, she almost pleaded him to make one call to Tyler to make sure he was okay, but she knew it would be useless, his eyes had turned so cold, it was like she was looking at a dead man's eyes.

She went up the stairs and in her room and closed the door behind her. She walked towards the bed and sat on it, looking in front of her. She could hear the rain against her window but the thunder rolled from farther away.

Tyler had risked his life, most probably was still in grave danger if the pack knew what he had just done. And she had no way of contacting him and knowing.

Two hybrids had just died because of her. Danielle's eyes filled with pain came back to her.

And she felt her own fill up with tears.

She put her hands through her hair, for the first time noticing how wet it was, and her clothes too but she just didn't care.

She laid sideways on the bed, facing the door, knowing Klaus would soon be there.

Would he lock her up? Compel her?

She closed her eyes in fear. She had never seen him so angry. She was always shouting how much she hated him, but in that moment when he had looked at her, she was sure he was the one hating her.

After about half an hour, the door finally opened.

She just stared at Klaus, not moving up from the bed, what was the use, she knew she couldn't fight him.

He came in and closed the door, without a word he moved towards the bed and sat down on the other side, his back against the headboard and pulled his feet up, one leg across the other. He had changed his clothes but his hair was still damp from the rain. She didn't like the disadvantage of laying down while he looked down on her so she got up in his same position. Why was he on the bed? Was he really going to...She left the thought unfinished.

She waited for him to speak but he stayed silent, not even looking at her. The tension in his body was so strong, it was almost humming around him. Finally not bearing the silence any longer she opened her mouth.

'I'm very...'

'Spare me.' He shut her up.

'Klaus. Please...'

He ignored her, like she hadn't spoken. 'You will have no more contact with your friends, phone, internet...' He said his voice quiet.

'I figured that much when you took them from me.'

'You brought this on yourself, Caroline, when you betrayed my trust.' The words hissed out through his teeth and she knew he was keeping his anger in check by a thread.

'But...'

'No buts! If you need anything from them, they'll be contacted through me.'

'But...' She tried again to speak.

'You just promised to do anything I said!' His voice had gotten louder.

Her shoulders sagged and she took a deep breath in, 'And I meant it, I'm really...really grateful to you helping Tyler tonight...and I won't try to run away again...I'll stay here with you until you tell me I can leave.' Her breath caught on the last words and she felt her eyes burn with unshed tears once more.

He leaned closer to her and taking her chin between his thumb and forefinger turned her face to look directly in her eyes.

Fear built in her eyes as he just looked in them for so long, without moving. Her whole face tingled where his fingers touched.

His eyes slowly traveled to her lips and his thumb came up and softly traced her lower lip.

'If you cross me again...' He whispered.

'I won't.' She answered softly hoping he couldn't feel the tremor in her body with just that small touch.

He released her face and put his legs back down. 'I take it back, you know...' He said as he got up from the bed and walked towards the door, giving her his back, 'you do know how to lie, very well and very convincingly.' His voice was just above a whisper but his tone held something she couldn't decipher.

She frowned at his back, confused by what he meant.

'Last night was a great show...a way to try to distract me?' He asked.

'No! I...' My God, he thought destroying his work had played some part in her plan to escape. 'I told you, I'm really sorry for doing that...I didn't...' She still didn't know how to explain that overwhelming feeling that had taken over her yesterday. The dream, the training, the almost incident in her bathroom, it had all been too much.

'And let's not forget the part where...' he took a deep angry breath out. 'Where you ask me to open up to you...very well done, Caroline.'

'No!' She got up too, her face crumbling. 'I meant that.'

He smirked, his back still to her. 'See? You're doing it again. Very convincing.'

Suddenly she couldn't take talking to his back anymore and she put her hand on his arm to turn him towards her. He turned shocked eyes on her. It was the first time she had touched him, willingly.

'I...' Her hand released his arm, her fingers tingling from the touch and fisted it at her side. She didn't know what to say, his eyes were cold and angry and there was something else there too. Something that made her insides twitch with...sadness.

'I also believed you when you said you trusted me to keep you safe.' He said.

'But I did...I do.'

He shook his head at her, wincing his lips.

'Trusting you to keep me safe and wanting you to do it, are two different things.'

'Don't play with words, little girl.' He hissed, his eyes burning with anger. 'Not with me.'

'I never stopped saying that I wanted to...'

'Save me the crap about wanting to leave...I'm tired of hearing you say it!' His voice raised again. 'For the love of God, Caroline, you have eternity to spend with your precious boyfriend,' his face lowered down to look her in the eyes, 'what's a few...weeks, in the face of that, if it means keeping everyone you say you love so much, _safe_?'

Her eyes widened and filled with tears as the realization that he was right, hit her. Hard.

People had died because she didn't want to spend her time, closed in this house...with him.

Because Klaus vicinity was the real problem. She didn't want to be near him cause, talking to him, being with him and...touching him, confused her too much. How could she have been so selfish!?

Her teeth bit in her lower lip. 'I never thought that any of this would happen.'

'Oh, that's very comforting to know.' He scoffed as he raised his eyebrows at her.

'I'm sorry...'

'Then prove it!' He silenced her. 'Just accept that you have to stay here for as long as it takes for Bonnie to break the spell...no more pranks, tantrums, or escape plans...'

She lowered her eyes. 'I...'

'You don't have to say anything now.' He stopped her briskly, 'I wouldn't believe you anyway.'

Her eyes ran to his but he had turned his back to her once more and left the room.

She stayed where she was, waiting to hear the key turn in the lock, but the sound never came.

She gave a sad sigh, she almost preferred to be punished for what she did. She went back on the bed and hugged the pillow. Seeing that he still treated her decently even when he was dead angry with her, made her feel worse.

She closed her eyes and tears escaped from under the closed lids to the pillow. She kept seeing Klaus eyes, when he had looked at her downstairs, and even here while talking to her. Not just angry or evil but...

Suddenly her eyes flew open. It wasn't something in them, but something missing she kept noticing. That...that look in his eyes he had whenever he looked at her...stealing her breath from her lungs, was gone.

Caroline walked softly in the dining room, the next morning. The very air seemed to still the moment she did and she could feel the occupant's eyes in the room all on her.

Rebekah was the first to break the silence.

'And just like that, my appetite is gone.' Her eyes flashed angrily at Caroline as she walked towards the breakfast table. Without another word, Rebekah threw her napkin on the table and was out of her chair and the room.

Caroline seated herself in her usual place and put her hands in her lap. She was downstairs because Danielle had informed her that Klaus wanted her down for breakfast.

She had tried to apologize to the hybrid, but the short haired girl had turned angry eyes on her, even as tears came down her cheeks.

'Matthew was the first one I made friends with when I came here...everyone loved him, he was kind and generous...and now he's dead...because of you.' The hybrid told her. 'It will take a whole lot more than an apology for me to forget that.' And she had left the room, making Caroline feel like she was going to throw up.

A hybrid appeared behind her and put a plate in front of her with more force than necessary making it almost bang against the table. Caroline winced but said nothing. She could feel the tension coming out of his body. Klaus' eyes slowly went up from his coffee cup to the hybrid's. From the corner of her eye, Caroline saw the hybrid hesitate for a second before putting her coffee cup way more gently down next to the plate.

'Well?' Klaus looked at her empty plate once the hybrid left.

She didn't feel like eating anything but she didn't want to argue with him so she got up and taking her plate put some toasted bread on it, then poured some coffee in her cup before sitting back down.

She had spent the whole night awake thinking and reliving all that had happened. Every time it felt worse. She closed her eyes and those dead bodies were there behind her eyelids, making her open them again and stare at the ceiling.

'It seems you finally succeeded in pulling a prank too bad to be overlooked. You hated this house and now the whole house hates you back. Feel better now?'

'I...'

'Yes?' He hissed coldly.

She sighed sadly. 'You told me you wouldn't believe anything I said anyway...'

'You can still say it, though.'

She turned in her chair to look directly at him. 'Last night wasn't a prank or a game! I would never...I never thought that anyone would get hurt or...or worse...I just wanted to go home.' She hated how her lips trembled over the last word.

'And then what?' He asked with a smirk. 'Did you really think I would just have let you go?'

'I didn't...'

His eyes glowed in hers. 'I would have moved heaven and hell to find you, Caroline.'

Her eyes widened on his face. A cold tremor went through her body at his words. She knew she should be afraid and she was, but there was something in the way he said it...

'Do tell me, I'm curious. Where were you going to stay and do, once you left?'

'I...I don't know...Tyler didn't explain his plan further than my leaving here.'

'Is he really that stupid?' He mumbled under his breath.

Her eyes shot angrily at him and he raised his eyebrows.

'Yes, Caroline? Do you feel the need to add something to that?'

Her eyes went to her plate and she realized she had crushed the toasted bread to crumbles under her fingers.

He leaned his back against the chair and looked at her with hooded eyes. Minutes ticked by and he just kept staring at her, feeling his gaze bore holes in her cheek.

Finally she looked up. 'What?'

'I guess now...we just wait to see how long it takes you to break your promise.'

He didn't believe she would keep her word. 'I won't.' She said quietly.

He shrugged indifferently.

She huffed. 'What happens if I do break it?' She asked even if she knew she wouldn't.

'You'll have a real reason to hate me.' He whispered.

She turned her eyes on him, she wanted to be angry and insult him, instead his words for some reason made her feel like a giant hand had taken her insides in its fist and squeezed hard.

'Don't you dare give me that look...you brought this on yourself!' He banged his fist on the table. 'I showed you every courtesy, I tried to understand your anger and frustration and... and you used it against _me_...you used my kindness against _me_! You turned my hybrid against ME!'

Her mouth opened to speak but no words came out. Simply because there was nothing she could say to that. She closed her eyes for a moment.

'I swear I will not break my word...my promise to you...I will never forgive myself that people ...died because of my selfishness or that it had to come to this before I accepted that I need to stay here.' Her eyes burned with unshed tears but she refused to let them fall, 'and I know my words mean less than nothing to you right now, justly so,' she brushed an errand tear away, 'but I will not be causing any more trouble...to you or this house.'

There was more she wanted to say, like how she regretted that he wouldn't talk to her again like he did in the library yesterday. How she hated the idea that he thought that conversation had been all a lie on her part...and most of all how much it pained her to think that maybe he'll never trust her again. She didn't say any of it, because she had no right to feel bad for herself.

He stared at her, his eyes showing nothing of what he was thinking. Slowly his hand relaxed from the tight fist he kept it in, then it curled around his coffee cup and gulped it down.

Without looking at her again he got up from the table and left the room.

'May I come in?' Klaus voice behind her door made her head come up with a start.

'Yes.' She replied as she turned to look at the door. She was sitting on a one seater facing the window in her room. _Jane Eyre _was in her lap but she had been more staring out than actually reading before his voice had interrupted her thoughts.

Something made him frown as he entered and saw her there. Or maybe it was just that he was still angry.

'Stefan called.' He said.

Her eyes widened. 'Did he say anything about Tyler?'

'Yes. He's fine.' His lips twitched as he said the words. 'Apparently, the rest of the pack don't know that Tyler was here when the four wolves got killed last night...seems they were sent here to look for clues about their missing friend...'

'Your prisoner...'

He nodded and continued, 'They don't know if he's dead for sure, so they haven't given up on him. They wanted to check tracks and scents before the rain washed everything away...they believe the hybrids discovered them here and attacked them...and they were killed.'

'You believe them?'

'They don't have any clue about you being here...so Tyler didn't have any reason to be here either...as for their being here, I think if it had been a real attempt to harm me or Bekah, they would have come in a larger group.'

She let out a small breath of relief._ Tyler's safe_.

'Thank you for telling me.'

He nodded briefly and then frowned at her.

'Caroline, if I had wanted to close you up in here, I would have done it myself.'

Before she could answer, Rebekah's voice shouting her brother's name from downstairs interrupted her.

'Sis is home from school.' He rolled his eyes.

'Nik! It's important, come immediately.'

A frown, and he disappeared in vampire speed downstairs.

Caroline went to her door and then at normal speed followed him.

She was wary at going downstairs cause she preferred not to meet anyone.

'What happened exactly...tell me.' Klaus voice carried to her, as she took the first stair.

'I told you...' Rebekah's voice answered. 'I don't know, if it was a real attempt to kidnap me or just to scare me...or a warning...'

Caroline gasped at the words. 'The pack? They tried to take you?' She asked stopping in the middle of the stairs and looking down at the brother and sister and the two hybrids that were with them.

'Yes...and your stupid boyfriend was with them!' Rebekah glared up at her.

'Tyler? No, he wouldn't!' Caroline's eyes widened on the other girl.

'My vision is perfect.'

'It is the reason the pack kept him with them, isn't it?' Klaus hissed up at her. 'And where the hell were you?' He growled to the two hybrids.

'Your sister is right...they let her go after she had just kicked the first one...we didn't even have to intervene.' One of them defended him and his friend.

Klaus frowned heavily at Caroline again before taking out her cell phone from his jacket pocket.

He pressed on a name and a ring later, Tyler replied.

'Caroline?'

'Listen, here, you little bastard...'

Tyler gasped, he seemed to be running while talking. 'They made me do it! I couldn't back out, they would have...'

'I don't care for your reasons!'

Tyler's voice lowered. 'I'm not even sure if they really want it to do it or if they were just testing me...'

That seemed to catch Klaus attention. 'What do you mean?' He asked with a frown.

'What I said! They went crazy after last night's deaths! They just grabbed me and told me to follow as they were gonna kidnap Rebekah and that I had to help them...but when we got to the school, they didn't even have a plan...they gave up way too easily...'

Rebekah nodded to her brother in agreement.

'And you passed the test cause you helped them?'

'I told you, I had to.' Tyler paused, 'Is Caroline ok?' he asked now.

'I'm here, Tyler...'

'She's fine. It's not her, you should be worrying about! My sister looses one hair on her head because of the pack, and your mother will pay for it.'

'My mother?!' Tyler's voice went up a notch. 'She has nothing...'

'You watch out for my sister and I watch out for your mother. How's that for a plan?'

And Klaus switched the phone off.

Caroline shot angry eyes at Klaus. 'What is it with you and threatening people's mothers?

'Cause people tend to love their mothers it seems..._real_ mothers anyway.' He smirked.

_Did he never forget anything that was said to him?_

She shook her head at him then turned and went up back the stairs.

Caroline stared at the usb in the palm of her hand, as she debated on what to do. She had left this in her suitcase so when Klaus took her pc, he hadn't taken it too. It was the second night after that disastrous debacle and she was full awake, and if she spent another minute in this room, she would go crazy.

She had done it to herself, closed herself in her room, not going out once in the last two days. She didn't want to see the hybrids' angry stares or hear Rebekah's jabs. And most of all she didn't want to see Klaus' cold gaze.

He had come to her room twice. Each time he would bring blood bags, since she barely ate.

When he had come in the second time to find she hadn't touched the ones he had already brought, he had tilted his head at her.

'Do you want to force me to shove it down your throat?'

'I'm not hungry.' She said softly.

He shrugged. 'I don't care...drink that...or I'll make you.'

'I'm perfectly capable of deciding for myself when I need to feed.'

'And I think I already said that while we're spelled like this, you will feed regularly...I will not be caught weak, because you refuse to feed properly...but hey, you know, it's not like a had to fight werewolves to save your boyfriend's life recently.' He said, his tone sarcastic.

She had sighed heavily and took one of the bags.

'Could...' He frowned at her, as soon as she started talking, 'could I have the TV back in here please?'

He shook his head. 'So you can sulk some more in here? No.'

'But...'

'This is your new plan, playing the victim?' He scoffed at her.

'There's no plan and I'm not playing the victim!' She frowned, 'I think the whole house prefers not to see me around, you included.'

'So it's like I said, you want to stay in here and sulk.' He scoffed.

She lowered her eyes. 'My intention was to stay out of everyone's way.'

'No one asked you to.' He answered gruffly. 'And stop making me come here to make you feed...so much for not causing any more trouble.'

Her shoulders squared at his words.

He was right. Hiding away in this room wasn't going to make him believe her again. She had wrongly thought that if she didn't complain about staying here anymore and just...stayed out of his way he would see she meant to keep her word. She wasn't sure anything could, but she had to at least try to show him that she didn't hold her stay here against him anymore, that was surely the first step.

It seemed he wanted her to be around the house like she used to do, and prove that she wanted to be there and not just forced to.

He stayed looking at her until she took the first long sip from the bag and then left without another word.

The cold look in his eyes seemed to be with her all the time. She closed her eyes and it was there on the inside of her lids. She opened them and it was still there, imprinted in her mind just the same.

So yeah. She desperately needed to distract herself, just stop thinking for a while, and she had a way of doing that, right in her hands and she'd also go downstairs and show Klaus she was really trying to insert herself back in the household, she thought as she went slowly down the stairs. And what was more normal than watching TV in a home?

She inserted the usb in its slot in the huge TV screen and sat down on the couch then pulled her legs under her and rested her elbow on the arm rest.

She put on the first episode and prayed the show would be good enough to take away her thoughts at least for a while.

She had barely watched the first ten minutes when a voice interrupted the quiet around her.

'Are you five or something?' It was Rebekah, and she was standing next to the couch as she frowned at the TV screen.

'What?' Caroline asked confused.

The other girl tilted her head, 'Aren't those Snow White and Prince Charming, you're watching?'

'Yes,' Caroline said with a small smile, 'but it's not...like that.'

'Huh?'

'Yes, they are the fairy tale characters, but they've been cursed to live in our world, not remembering who they are.'

'And who is she?' She asked as another character appeared on screen.

'Their daughter...I think.'

'She's their own age!'

'The curse has made them live the same day for over twenty years...but now she's here and...she can save them all.'

Rebekah frowned even as she sat down on the other side of the couch. 'Sounds complicated.'

'No, it's not.' Caroline replied, trying not to show her surprise that the other girl had just sat next to her and was actually talking normally to her.

Rebekah caught her looking at her, and frowned at her. 'Nik doesn't want me to leave the house for a while...so I'm stuck in here like you.'

'Ohh...' Caroline turned her eyes to the screen again. So that's why she's talking to me. She's already going crazy being caved in.

'It's not fair!' Rebekah pouted her lips and frowned. 'I have to stay inside while he gets to get out and do whatever he wants...with some lady friend probably...'

Caroline's head turned sharply to look at her. Her mouth opened, then closed again. She frowned as she looked down.

It was none of her business. She told herself. And really, had she thought that Klaus was celibate? Just because she didn't see it with her eyes, didn't mean...

An uncomfortable ball of a strange feeling unfurled in her stomach. She looked sideways and the other girl and frowned at her. Why in hell had she had to bring that up? She had been trying to relax here!

'Blond hair and blue eyes...' The original girl, rested her back more comfortably against the couch, and raised her legs up like Caroline's, 'how very predictable for prince Charming.'

'Yeah, I guess,' the other girl agreed, as she took a deep breath in and repeated to herself that she didn't care what Klaus did. 'but you like blond hair and blue eyes, don't you?'

Rebekah snorted. 'And I'm not the only one.'

Caroline frowned at her. 'My prince happens to have dark hair and eyes.'

'Some prince...he almost got me killed.' Rebekah snorted again.

The other girl turned her head to look at her. 'You heard him, he couldn't refuse to go with them.'

'Gee, that sure makes me feel better!' The words dripped with sarcasm.

Caroline took a deep breath in. 'I'm sure he would have found a way to help you, he wouldn't have let...'

'Yes, he would.' Rebekah interrupted her. 'With no blood line involved, none of you care if I live or die...'

'That's not true...' She frowned at her own words as she realised they were true. Rebekah's eyes showed surprise at her words too.

Somehow through all their bickering, she had grown used to having Rebekah around or maybe it was seeing how attached Klaus really was to his sister, anyway she knew she didn't want the pack to hurt her. Even if she wasn't ready to admit it.

'Your brother does.' Caroline added. 'And if something bad happened to you...he would makes us all follow you right afterwards so...'

'Not you.' The other girl said quietly.

Caroline shrugged, 'For now, maybe.'

Rebekah let out a sound between a snort and a chuckle but said nothing else.

Both their heads turned back to the TV and they kept watching in silence. After a while, Caroline relaxed as the story on the show caught her attention and even commented on it a couple of times with Rebekah.

When the first episode was over, the original girl stopped her before she could start the next one, rushed away and came back twenty seconds later with her arms full of snacks.

Caroline smiled her thanks and switched 'play' back on.

They spent the whole night watching episode after episode, not realising that the sun had risen cause they had both dozed off.

'What is this?!' Klaus voice woke Caroline and on opening her eyes, found him next to the couch, looking from her to his sister, who was sleeping with her head on the other arm rest. Half eaten food surrounded them on the couch and the table in front of them was full with empty or half empty packets of biscuits and sweets.

'We were watching TV.' She said, her voice still sleepy. Her eyes went to the screen to see that the show was still playing.

'Hey,' She hit Rebekah on her thigh. 'Did you keep watching without me after I feel asleep?'

The other girl took a deep breath in as she woke up. 'What?'

Rebekah looked at her as she rubbed her eyes and then at the screen. 'No, I...wait a sec, who's that gorgeous one?' She asked pointing to a male character on the screen.

'I don't know.' Caroline answered.

'Go back, go back!'

Caroline tried to find the remote control between the cushions but couldn't find it.

Klaus cleared his throat and handed it to her after picking it up from the floor. Both girls went for it and tried to snatch it from his hand. 'What the hell?' He asked, his frown deep.

'What?!' His sister asked him back, 'We were watching this show...and we liked it.'

His eyes widened at the word 'we' and said. 'You've been here all night, watching TV... together?'

His sister nodded. 'And we intend to watch all the rest, oh and we'll be watching _Gone with the wind _too.' She replied, not seeming to realise the reason behind her brother's questions.

'Yeah, can you believe she's never seen it?' Caroline looked at him, her eyebrows raised.

His own eyebrows rose high too and she could clearly see he was still furious with her.

_Well, hadn't he been the one to tell her not to sulk all day in her room?_

Rebekah snorted. 'Of course, he can. He's the reason I wasn't around to watch it when it first came out.'

Caroline lowered her eyes, hoping she hadn't brought up old grudges. His eyes flicked to his sister but there was absolutely no remorse in them.

Rebekah narrowed her eyes on him. 'As punishment, you have to watch it us.'

He gave a little shrug. 'Watching that movie isn't a punishment.'

'You like it?!' Caroline asked, her voice surprised.

He pursued his lips. 'It's a little too long for my taste,' he replied as he looked directly at her, '...but overall yes, I like it.'

'Good, then it's decided.' His sister said, then looking at Caroline she said. 'but I want to keep watching this too.'

Caroline nodded and both girls were about to sit down again.

'So...no breakfast?' Klaus asked completely baffled.

The girls looked at each other again, then Rebekah spoke. 'Yes, I guess we can have breakfast and a shower first.'

Smiling at her brother, she ran up the stairs.

'I'll go too.' Caroline said as she started walking away from him.

'Wait.'

She slowly turned back to him, her eyes wary.

His hand went slowly up to her hair, and with two fingers fished out a piece of a chocolate biscuit from between the blond tangles. Her heart had jumped in her throat when he had come closer and now she put out her hand for him to put the crumble in, her face turning hot with embarrassment. She must look a total mess!

He stared at her for a moment, his eyes obviously still surprised by what he had just seen.

'Thank you.' She said softly before following Rebekah up the stairs.

**The TV show mentioned is 'Once upon a time'.**


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19.

Caroline dropped the bowl with the ingredients she had been mixing and went to Rebekah's laptop on the side of the island and clicked the volume up.

Rebekah looked at her with a reluctant smile as Caroline started singing and swaging her hips.

'Sing! It will make you feel better.' She told the older vampire.

Rebekah shook her head even as she smiled. 'I don't know the words.'

Another couple of clicks, and the lyrics appeared on the screen. 'No more excuses.' Caroline replied before starting to sing again, _'...don't let what they say keep you up at night...' _She raised her eyebrows at the other girl in challenge which Rebekah accepted, as she glanced at the words on the screen and joined her in the song.

_'...your words don't mean a thing, I'm not listening, keep talking all I know...' _ Caroline hit her hips against hers and still singing grabbed the bowl and started mixing again, then picking a pinch of flour from the counter with two fingers, flicked it at the other girl, who did the same back to her.

The final chorus of the song started and they both sang out loudly to it, laughing at each other. _'...no matter what you say it won't hurt me, no matter if I fall from the sky, these wings are made to fly.'_

'Told you it helps!' Caroline smiled at Rebekah who was already checking for other songs.

'Go to one of those radio channels,' Caroline pointed with her chin as the other girl flipped through choices. 'They have great playlists.'

Rebekah stopped on hearing a song. 'I like this one.' she said and after finding the lyrics, sat down near the pc and started singing with it.

_'...sometimes you walk by the good ones cause you're trying too hard, too hard to see them and sometimes you don't find the right lines cause you're trying too hard, too hard to hear them...' _Caroline kept mixing as she listened to her while reading the lyrics, cause it was a song she didn't know. _'...cause, you're like me and you won't give up. Till an all time love, cause nothing else is good enough, want an all time love to find me...'_

She looked at the other girl's face as she sang. An all time love. After all these hundreds of years, Rebekah was still waiting for it. It made Caroline feel a bit sorry for her but also admire her for not giving up.

_'_You got a nice voice.' She praised her when the song ended. Rebekah gave her a little smile before her eyes widened.

'I got it! I'll sing Matt a song!'

'No!'

Rebekah frowned at her. 'Why not? He's a sweet enough guy to like something like that...'

'No, really...don't...' Caroline winced at her.

'But why?' Suddenly Rebekah's eyes became huge in her face. 'Oh my God! You _did_ that for him?'

Caroline winced again in answer.

'When? Why?...Did he like it?' Rebekah's eyes were full of curiosity.

'He kissed me in front of the whole Grill...so yeah I guess he liked it,' she shook her head 'my God, it seems so long ago...'

Suddenly she_ felt _his presence. Even before looking up, she knew Klaus would be there. And in fact, he was, resting with his shoulder against the doorway, his eyes fixed on her. He was wearing a white T-shirt which made the blue of his eyes, look a shade lighter.

'How long have you been there?' She asked with a frown

He walked slowly inside the kitchen. 'Your angelic voices lured me here.' He then raised his brows at the kitchen counter. 'What is all this mess?'

'Caroline's teaching me to do pancakes.'

His eyes traveled along all the counter, with food and kitchen stuff scattered all around. 'And is she sure she knows how to do them?'

'Of course!' Caroline replied immediately, 'I used to do them every Sunday morning with my mom when I was a little girl.'

'Ohh...so, something familiar then...' He said softly.

She lowered her eyes to the bowl in her hands without answering. He still remembered what she had told him, she thought while Rebekah pushed the plate closer to her brother. 'Take one Nik, they're really good.'

He looked at the pancakes on the plate suspiciously, 'Who did these?'

'Hey...' His sister was the one to frown at him now.

'Okay, okay...' He said before taking one of the soft pancakes and took a bite. He nodded at his sister in approval and she beamed at him. 'So...you really sang to Donovan? Why?' He asked looking at Caroline.

'That's none of your business.' Was her brisk reply as her eyes couldn't help notice the way he sucked marmalade off his finger.

'And you, sister, I have to say...'

'Again, it's none of your business.' Was Rebekah reply now.

He rolled his eyes, 'Well, isn't this great...you two getting along now.'

Both girls looked at each other but neither answered. Rebekah busied herself with spreading melted chocolate on a pancake while Caroline began swirling the contents in her bowl with great concentration.

It was true. Somehow, in the last week, she and Rebekah, had started getting along. She didn't know if it was because, being kept inside the house herself, (and Rebekah certainly complained about it more than her, like, all the time!) the other girl had grown sympathetic to her plight or if was just them bonding over a TV show, whatever it was they got along better, even if they still bickered.

They had watched all the episodes of _'Once upon a time' _available, and had agreed on who they liked and disliked until they discussed who the heroine, Emma, should end up with. Caroline was all for her first love, but Rebekah thought him sleazy and preferred the famous Captain Hook to him.

'Seriously?' Caroline had shouted at the other girl. 'Why? Because he's good looking and has a hot accent?'

Rebekah blinked twice at that and her lips twirled up. 'I didn't know you had a thing for accents.'

'I...I don't...I...' Caroline narrowed her eyes on the other girl, 'If you repeat a word of what I just said...'

Rebekah started to make the motion of zipping her lips up with her fingers but then stopped halfway through and giggled instead as she raised her eyebrows at her. 'Neal is dull...and he let her go to prison!' She added getting back in the argument.

Caroline's eyes narrowed in a 'don't you dare' look even as she said. 'Hook is way worse... after all she's been through, she deserves way better than to end up with the villain!' Caroline turned to leave and almost stamped herself against Klaus, who had suddenly appeared behind her. She staggered backwards and he took her by her arm to steady her. The tingling of their skins touching was as breath-taking as always but it was the look in his eyes that stopped her heart. He looked straight in her eyes and his gaze looked...almost tired, weary.

_Did it have to do with what she had just said?!_

Her mouth opened to say something but she didn't know what, and why should she anyway? She told herself.

Finally, his eyes flicked to his sister. 'You're seriously fighting over a TV show?' He asked, disgust in his voice. 'I think I'm starting to prefer when you two hated each other.' Without waiting for a reply, he shook his head and left again.

Rebekah poked her tongue at him and giggled and even though Caroline smiled, her heart wasn't in it, that look in his eyes had left her...feeling kind of sad.

They had also watched _Gone with the wind_, and Klaus had joined them. About half the movie in, he had sighed loudly and told them to shut up their incessant comments about every little thing that happened.

'Oh, come on,' Caroline had argued with him. 'Commenting while watching movies, is half the fun...the laughter, the tears...'

He had raised his eyebrows at her words and she had smiled.

'Okay...no tears for you, then.'

He had smiled back at her, and she had stared at his mouth. It was the first time he had smiled at her since her escape attempt. Suddenly she turned her head away so he wouldn't see, how happy that smile had made her.

But it had, and she couldn't stop herself feeling that way even if she chided herself for it.

'Tears? Why tears? Is someone important going to die?' Rebekah frowned at both of them.

They had both stayed mum and Rebekah gasped. 'Oh my God! Will it make _me_ cry?'

At the end of the movie, the original girl had stayed staring at the ending credits and shaking her head.

'So basically,' she finally said, 'this movie is about a woman who met _and_ married her soul mate, but spent her life thinking she was in love with someone else and she was too stupid to realise the truth until it was too late.'

'She wasn't stupid...she just clung to her childhood, perfect dream of Ashley...and didn't realise that it was really...imperfect Rhett she belonged with.' Klaus replied quietly.

Caroline gave him a sideway glance. Every time she had watched this movie, like Rebekah had thought the main character, too stubborn and willful to realise what was right under her nose but now, hearing Klaus explanation, for the first time saw it differently.

'Well, it's depressing.' His sister mumbled.

'No,' the other girl replied, 'think about it. She'll win him back, as Scarlett says, "_after all, tomorrow is another day_."'

Rebekah had laughed at her interpretation and Caroline had joined in while Klaus had shook his head.

'Hopeless romantics both of you.' He said.

'What's wrong with that?' His sister asked.

He pursued his lips at her. 'The hopeless part?'

'Aren't we all fools in love, brother?' Rebekah had asked then.

He chuckled. 'That must be why I stay away from it.' His eyes had darted a quick look at Caroline who was quietly listening to them.

'Yeah...right.' His sister had whispered softly as he got up and left the room while Caroline's eyes had followed him until she had felt Rebekah's gaze on her and she had lowered her own.

She was brought back to the present by Rebekah's loud laugh.

'Oh come on, Nik, just one song, I want to hear you.'

Caroline's hand stopped mixing all together as she waited for Klaus' reply.

'Not. A chance. In hell.' He said, looking directly at his sister.

'Just one...'

'I. Don't. Sing.'

Rebekah sighed. She obviously knew her brother well enough to know when she could make him change his mind and when not.

Caroline turned to the pancake maker and started putting the mix in it, smiling at Klaus vehemence. She really couldn't imagine the original hybrid singing.

Rebekah had changed the subject and was now arguing with her brother once more about leaving the house.

'..._you won't see me at the parties, I guess I'm just no fun. I won't be turning up the radio singing, baby you're the one...' _Caroline was singing softly, so as not to seem to be listening on the siblings quarreling. She turned to get the spatula and found Klaus eyes intently on her. His sister was still going on about why she was in no danger but he just stared at Caroline.

His eyes kept hers prisoners and she forgot what she had been doing and stared back.

_'...sometimes I get angry and I say what I don't mean, I know I keep my heart protected far away from my sleeve, but don't ever question if my heart beats only for you, it beats only for you...' _

His lips twitched slightly and she wondered if he was listening to his sister or the song lyrics. A lump had formed in her throat and refused to dislodge. But no. She was being fanciful. Klaus just wasn't the type. _Oh why did he have to keep looking at her that way?! _She couldn't breathe when he did.

She forced herself to break the eye contact and turned towards the stove again. Without thinking she grabbed the pancake maker and a hot burning pain seared her hand.

'Caroline!' Suddenly Klaus was there and taking her hand put it immediately under the running water.

The pain was gone a second later but their hands stayed entwined under the tap. The tingling was there even with water running over their skins.

Rebekah was saying something but her voice seemed to come from afar as Caroline seemed only able to concentrate on how touching him felt.

How the tingling seem to completely rob her of breath and thought.

He let out a loud breath and lowered his eyes as she felt the tingling move over his skin as well.

'Relax, you two. You're both as good as new.' Rebekah frowned at them and went to the stove and turned the pancakes.

'I'm sorry...' Caroline winced at him. 'I didn't mean to burn you...I should have been more careful.'

He closed the water and after looking at her hand, as if to make sure she was really all right, gave her a hand towel to dry it in.

'No harm done.' He said, showing her, his own hand.

Rebekah puffed out loudly. 'So can I go?'

'Fine. Go.' He agreed impatiently, still looking at Caroline.

'Really?' His sister's voice was incredulous and Klaus eyes widened slightly as if that hadn't really meant to be his answer.

He sighed. 'There has been no wolves around for days. I have a feeling they are lying low ...for what I still don't know, but I've been going out all the time and none of them followed me or tried anything else...I've even been to their camp.'

'Wasn't that dangerous?' Caroline's eyes widened on him. _So...no lady friend then?_

Since Rebekah had brought that up, it had stayed in her mind.

He looked at her for a second with a strange look in his eyes. 'They never had a clue I was there.'

'Anyway, what really matters is that I get to leave this house again!' Rebekah clapped her hands together. 'Guess, you'll be watching that romantic comedy on your own tonight.' She added to Caroline. 'Sorry, not sorry.'

Caroline smiled at her. 'That's all right, go out, you, since you can. If the roles were reversed, I wouldn't feel sorry for you, either.'

They may get along better now but they were far from being sappy with each other.

'Got to go make a phone call...be back in a minute.' The other girl rushed out of the kitchen.

Klaus was still at her side, staring at her, his eyes narrowed on her.

'What?' She asked quietly.

He shook his head. 'Nothing...I have to go too.' He walked away and stopped for a second to look at his sister's laptop. After a moment he left, leaving it behind him.

She sighed as she went back to the stove. That was something at least. He still didn't trust her. That was what that narrowed look was all about. He didn't know if she meant it when she quietly accepted that she had to stay in, while his sister could leave.

But she did mean it.

It seemed, that once she had promised to stay for as long as it was needed, and knowing she would never go back on her word, she had actually started feeling better. With her leaving not being an option, she had let go of her anger and accepted that it was really the best and only solution. She was safe, her friends were safe...and Klaus was safe too.

No one would die because of her, not again.

As for her being near Klaus, it was just something she had to deal with, everyday. It hadn't become easier, if anything it was worse.

He had barely looked at her for a couple of days. Then he had seemed to relax enough to converse with her again. Still there was a wariness about his every action around her. But they talked, had real conversations, (she had even found herself telling him about her college plans last night), now that she didn't have to bug him about keeping her here, all the time.

He still didn't trust her, she knew. Saw it in the way he stared at her sometimes, like he had done just now. She knew she was to blame for that, and a part of her told her she shouldn't care, but she did.

She liked that she was getting better at knowing how his mind worked, it wasn't all fun, but his darkness was something she'd always known and seen in him. And he wasn't all darkness either. He was very intelligent, wise, smart. He had a snarky sense of humor and sometimes he didn't seem to be able to keep himself from saying a flirty word here and there.

And she liked it. Liked spending time with him even as she told herself she shouldn't. She was even getting this crazy notion in her head that they could actually be friends or something close to it, like with Rebekah.

She was here now. Closing herself up in her room to avoid contact with him was simply impossible. Or so she told herself, when she caught herself smiling at him, or when her eyes followed him around the house.

What made it worse was the accidental touching or even just brushing against each other.

His touch seemed to linger on her, long after it was gone. The tingling just wouldn't stop or maybe it was that somehow she was becoming, if it was possible, even more keenly aware of it.

But maybe, once the spell was gone and this crazy bond between them was gone, it would be much simpler for them to find a way to get along.

If a voice inside her head, tried to tell her that there was more between them than just the spell, she silenced it immediately. She loved Tyler, her heart belonged to him. It was _just _the spell.

Rebekah came back and her thoughts lifted as the other girl helped her prepare the last of the pancakes while telling her about going out to the Grill, tonight.

Caroline's lips twirled at the sides. 'So it's Matt's shift tonight. Say hi to him for me.'

The other girl smiled but said nothing.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

'Do you...do you want to watch the movie with me?' Caroline asked Klaus as she came down the stairs with the DVD in her hand. He had watched other movies with them this last week and even if he kept rolling his eyes at their awws and nooos, she could tell he enjoyed it.

He turned to look at her. 'I would like that...but I have to go out.'

'That's okay.' She said quietly, hiding her disappointment.

He went for his jacket on the couch and as he put it on, she caught a whiff of his cologne and suddenly smiled remembering what Jeremy had once told her to do.

'What are you smiling about?' He asked.

'Nothing.' She replied, the smile still on her lips.

'Come on, I know that face too well...'

'Nothing.' She repeated.

He narrowed his eyes on her, 'Out with it.'

She bit her lip and sighed. 'I was thinking of a prank I never pulled on you...it had to do with your cologne...and pee.'

His mouth opened and his eyes blinked a couple of times. It was the first time she really saw him speechless.

'I didn't do it.'

His eyes narrowed on her again.

'I swear!' She repeated.

He shook his head at her and sighed.

She took in his black shirt and trousers and black jacket. He obviously loved dark colours.

'So meeting someone special tonight?'

She wanted to bite her tongue off, the moment the words were out.

He gave her a quizzical look, 'What?'

She lowered her eyes and shrugged. 'I just thought maybe you were...'

'No,' he answered, a small smile on his lips, 'I'm not meeting anyone special tonight...why you care?'

'Of course not!' She denied immediately. 'I was...just making conversation.'

He nodded but the smile stayed on his face. She hurried to the DVD player and took her time fidgeting with inserting the movie disc in. She could feel her face had gone all red and she didn't want him to see it.

'I'm sorry you have to be alone tonight...if you need anything, the hybrids will be here.'

'I know...and it's okay.' She replied finally looking at him again.

He winced his lips and his eyes once more narrowed on her.

'I said it's okay.' She repeated, her voice a bit hard.

He heard the cold tone, cause his forehead wrinkled in a frown. 'Why are you angry all of a sudden?'

'Because you always make me say things twice, before you decide if you can believe me or not!'

He frowned deeper then let out a small breath and his face relaxed. 'I didn't realise I did that.'

She gave a little shrug as if it didn't matter but deep down it did, and there was nothing she could do about it, as every time, she remembered it was her own fault, if things were like this now. 'Enjoy yourself then.' She said as she dropped herself on the couch.

She could feel him behind the sofa, looking at her but she didn't turn her head. After a few moments, she heard the front door close and she laid down on the sofa, her head on the arm rest and switched the DVD on...

She was being held against something strong. And the now familiar tingling feeling was at the back of her legs and...something smelled incredibly good right under her nose. She pushed her nose into it, filling her nostrils with it as she nuzzled closer.

'That smells good.' She sighed softly.

'Hey, that tickles.' Klaus warm voice right above her ear, made her eyes pop open.

He was calmly walking in the dark house, with her in his arms.

'Klaus...what the hell is happening?' She gasped as she removed her arms from around his neck.

'Relax, I'm just taking you to your room.'

'But why...I don't understand!'

He looked at her and smiled. 'You fell asleep watching the movie.'

Right. That's the last thing she remembered. She had finished that romantic comedy and had started watching another one. She must have fallen asleep.

'You could have just woke me up!'

He chuckled. The sound reverberating from his chest to her side as she was held to him. 'Don't you think I tried...you sleep like the dead.' He raised his eyebrows at her.

'Well, you can put me down now. I'm perfectly capable of walking.' She said sternly, trying to ignore what being this close to him was doing to her.

'We're almost there.' He said as he kept walking.

Her eyes went to his face, so close to hers, and she found herself studying the small laugh lines at the corner of his eyes and the long, light coloured eye lashes. His arms tightened around her and her breath hitched.

A few steps later, he lowered his body a little and opened her bedroom door. He went straight to the bed where he gently laid her down.

'There was no need...but thanks.' She mumbled as she switched the bedside lamp on.

He smiled at her. 'You're welcome.'

'Where you in the forest...at the pack's camp again?' She suddenly asked. 'You smell of fresh earth and trees.'

'Very good.' He answered.

'Having been closed in here for so long...I must have become ultra sensitive to how the outside world smells.'

He frowned at her as he gave a little sigh.

'I'm not complaining...I'm not!' She told him as she sat up on her bed. 'Really.' She added as her hand went almost to touch his forearm before stopping herself and her hand hovered in mid-air for a moment before lowering it down.

He looked at her, then slowly nodded. She thought he was going to leave and she didn't want him to. She had been alone for hours and she wanted someone to talk to. Or at least that's the reason she gave herself as she asked,

'Why were you there?'

He shrugged. 'They think they have the right to come sniffing around my house...I do the same at theirs.'

'You want me to believe you went there without a real reason?' She scoffed at him.

He looked at her but said nothing.

Her lips twitched angrily. 'So we're not sharing information anymore?

'You have nothing to share now.' He said quietly.

'And whose fault is that?'

'Really, Caroline? You want to talk about fault?'

She lowered her eyes and let herself fall back on the bed again with a thud. Her hair splaying on the pillow when her head hit it.

After a moment she felt the bed dip slightly as he seated himself with one leg under him, on the edge, near her thighs.

A strong feeling of déjà vu surrounded her. She remembered just an exact same situation. She, on a bed, him, sitting next to her. It was her birthday and she had been so scared when he had entered her bedroom and calmly seated himself next to her.

'I'm waiting for the right moment, when I can go in the camp and look for something that can really lead us to the witch.'

She felt her chest expand with something that went from gratitude to happiness. 'Your prisoner hasn't been any help?' She asked trying not to show how much the fact that he was talking to her about his plans again, meant to her.

It was so different this time then from her birthday night. She wasn't scared at all by his presence. She was even glad he was there.

'Yes. He gave me quite some new information about Tony, the leader...which I'm using but it's the witch I want.'

She noticed the way his eyes darkened with evil purpose and a small shiver went down her spine.

'I'll let you sleep now...'

'Wait, Klaus.' Without realising, her hand slipped in his, 'I'm really, really...' She stammered. She had been wanting to say these words so much but always held back cause she was afraid he wouldn't believe her. She tried to take back her hand but he laced his fingers with hers, making the tingling feel like big sparks bursting between their palms.

'I'm really sorry,' she finally said softly, 'I feel so guilty...I never, never would have imagined that in my wish to leave this house, I would cause...' She stopped as tears prickled her eyes.

He squeezed her hand again. 'You really look like you're dealing with it better...' Something in his tone made her pause. Was he asking if she was really doing better or if she was pretending at doing better?

She retrieved her hand from his. He still didn't trust her, she thought with a sigh. Would he ever again?

She took a deep breath. She would be completely honest. 'I won't pretend I'm suddenly thrilled with it, especially being closed up all the time but I guess, I took your advice. What's a few weeks for us immortals?' She said.

'Good, cause I talked to Bonnie a couple of days ago, and her answer is still the same. She could stumble on a solution tomorrow or she could be researching for...'

'Who knows how long still.' She finished for him.

He nodded.

Her eyes lowered down to her lap.

One finger grazed her cheek softly and her eyes flew up to his. His eyes were on her lips and then they met hers. They seemed to reach out to hers and a small tremor went through her body.

They both stood still as if waiting for something to happen.

After what felt like an eternity, his eyes lowered down and he slowly got up. She felt the breath hiss slowly out through her lips.

He took a couple of steps away and then turned and said. 'By the way, Kol sent his regards.'

She blinked a couple of times, her mind still on the way he had looked at her.

'Really?' She asked almost breathlessly.

'Actually, he's been doing so,' he tilted his head, 'every time he calls, since he left but...I always seem to forget to tell you.'

'Ohh...'

'Yes. Textual words, "tell her I said, hi there, darling." ' Klaus rolled his eyes as he imitated his brother's drawl, and she smiled as she remembered the night she and Kol had talked.

'How does he do it?' Klaus asked softly. 'Two words and he makes you smile like that, while I...'

She gasped. That special look was back in his eyes.

He chuckled softly. 'It surely seems, you're winning the Michaelsons over, one by one... Bekah, Kol...but I was first.'

Her eyes grew large in her face and he shrugged slightly still smiling. 'Well, but that's easy to understand why, since I'm the smartest one in the family.'

She smiled at that, happy that he was back to teasing her, and also lightening the tension in the room.

'Look there. I just made you smile.' His gaze was soft on her face and her smile widened at his words.

His eyebrows went up. 'Two smiles,' he said smiling back, '...on such a winning note, I shall bid you good night.'

'Good night.' She replied quietly.

He went to the door and after opening it, went out but looked at her one last time before closing it and said, 'Sweet dreams, love.' and he was gone.

She let out a long breathless sigh, then covered her mouth, afraid he could hear her.

_Love_. Something else, she had noticed he hadn't called her in the last days.

She turned on her side and hugged her pillow.

Sweet dreams. She desperately hoped they wouldn't be about him, cause her head was in great turmoil on its own, she didn't need any dreams to add to that.

**The songs mentioned in this chapter are,**

**'Wings' by Little Mix.**

**'All time love' by Will Young.**

**'My kind of love.' by Emeli Sande. **


	20. Chapter 20

**Once again thank you so much for all the nice things everyone had to say after the last chapter.**

Chapter 20.

Caroline hanged the last of her clean clothes in the wardrobe and was about to close its door but somehow her suitcase had moved and was blocking it from closing properly. She hunched down to put it properly back in its place and opening the lid, her eyes widened on Klaus' drawings. She had forgotten she had put them there!

She took them out and sitting on the bed, went through them slowly. Her stomach twisted uncomfortably as she saw the silicone tape that had put them back together.

Her fingers touched the little boy's face in the picture with the old woman. She didn't know why but she loved his smile.

_I should put them back._ She thought as she stood up.

Rolling them into one big tube, she left her room and went downstairs.

It was early afternoon and no one seemed to be around the house. She went straight to the room with all the pictures and opened the glass door. The room was quite dark, maybe it was left like that on purpose because of the paintings. She went in and walked to the long table.

'Ouch.' Her knee hit against the framed paintings leaning against it on the side. This place was a mess. She frowned as she rubbed her knee.

She put the repaired drawings on the table and then faltered. She raised the drawings on top and put the others underneath. She didn't like the thought of them being the first thing people saw when they came in here. And she really didn't know if Klaus still wanted them here, he had told her to throw them away, but she would never do that, so hiding them was probably the best thing. She took a step sideways and her knee banged once more against something.

'Shit!' She exclaimed. She was a vampire, being in the dark shouldn't be a problem to her. She scolded herself.

Suddenly the lights went on. 'What on earth are you doing in here?' Klaus asked from behind her.

She twirled to look at him, her hair bouncing around her face. 'Nothing.'

He looked around him with narrowed eyes as if he was searching to spot something different in the room.

He frowned at her, his eyes hard on her. _Why did he look angry?_

'Why were you in the dark?'

She shrugged. 'I'm a vampire, I don't need light to see.'

'My knee begs to differ.'

'Oh...I'm sorry.' She bit her lower lip to stop from smiling. Damn spell, was always putting her in trouble! 'I didn't see that...you should think about cleaning up this room.'

'No, don't touch anything.' He ordered her quietly.

Her face fell a little. 'I wouldn't...' and she heard him give a little sigh.

'I meant that this way...I know where everything is.'

'I see,' she gave him a little smile, his explanation making her feel better. 'Disorganized organization.'

He nodded. 'Something like that...and now tell me why you were in here...and don't say nothing.'

She rolled her eyes. 'You're not gonna let it rest, are you?...Fine.' She turned towards the table behind her as he came closer and shifting some of the drawings, let him see the repaired once at the bottom of the pile.

His lips parted in surprise and his hand went out and touched the first one, a painting of a horse, then moved it away so he could look at the others she had saved.

She bit her lip as she gave him a nervous, sideway look and tried to understand what he was thinking. His face was blank and she couldn't tell if he was angry or...

'I told you to throw them away.' He said quietly, his eyes still on the drawings.

She nodded once. 'I know, I just couldn't bring myself to do it...it's why I hid them...I thought it would take you time to find them in this mess and when you eventually did, you could have changed your mind and...liked to keep them.'

He didn't say anything and she went on. 'I know they're far from what they used to be but still I thought...'

His eyes looked straight in hers for a moment and her words died down. Then he lowered them down again as he went through more of them and then stopped to look at the one with the old woman and the child.

He got it out and handed it to her. 'Do you want to keep this? I think you like it...right?'

Both her hands went out to hold it. She desperately wished she could. She smiled to him in agreement to loving the picture and said. 'Thank you, _so_ much but no...these are your memories ...you shouldn't part from them. It's why I did my best to fix them...for you.'

His eyes went up to hers again. He seemed...almost confused by her gesture. Like he was totally unused to someone doing something nice for him.

'Thank you, then.' He finally said.

'No, please, don't thank me.' She shook her head. 'They shouldn't have needed to be repaired in the first place...and there are some missing cause they were beyond saving.' She finished almost inaudibly, lowering her eyes.

His lips twirled up on one side, then he took out one of her pictures. Hands on hips, eyes glaring angrily from the page.

'You can throw_ that_ away if you want.' Her lips twitched.

He smiled at her. 'And forget what Caroline Forbes looks like when she's angry with me? I mean what are the odds of it happening again?' He teased her.

She laughed softly, even as she couldn't help thinking that he was saying, that her drawings were memories too, for him. 'So that's what I look like when I'm angry with you? No wonder you quake in fear!'

'Yeah, no wonder.' He laughed back.

She watched him laugh and her eyes softened. Nervously she put a strand of hair behind her ear and said. 'I'll...go now.'

'To sit in front of the flat screen again?' He asked with a wince.

She gave a small shrug. 'In the absence of anything better.'

'How about...a game of cards?' He asked her suddenly.

Her eyes widened. 'I barely know how to play.'

He shook his head as if she had said something incredible. 'I could teach you, if you want.'

'Sure, why not.' She agreed. 'What shall we play for?'

'Our clothes?' He asked with a teasing smile.

'Ha ha.' She replied even as she felt heat rising up to her cheeks.

He shrugged. 'It was just an idea.' and she rolled her eyes at him.

He gave her a smile back. 'I'll go get the cards and...Rebekah. Library?' He raised his eye brows and she smiled wider as she nodded. He knew it was her favorite place.

Klaus came in the library, two minutes later with a deck of cards in his hands but no Rebekah.

'She's going out she said or better...barked.' He explained with a frown, 'Remember her good mood at breakfast this morning...totally gone.'

She frowned, cause it was true that this morning Rebekah had been all smiles and Caroline had secretly thought that seeing Matt yesterday, had made her happy...so why was she in a foul mood now?

'She throws tantrums out of nowhere.' He growled under his breath as he placed two chairs in front of each other at a small table.

'Must be a family trait.' She replied softly as she opened the drapes of the French windows.

She turned to find him looking at her. 'What was that?'

'I said, I know what to play for.' She said, giving him an innocent look before leaving the room.

Going in the kitchen she grabbed as many snacks as her arms could carry and went back to the library.

'Snacks? We're going to play for snacks?!' He said, pouting his lips, the moment she put them on the table. 'That's stupid.'

'What did you expect?' She frowned at him as she sat down on one of the chairs.

He gave a small shrug. 'Something to make it more interesting.'

The narrowed look she gave him made him chuckle.

'How about this? We play for the snacks and who has the biggest pile at the ends wins and the loser has to do something for the other.'

Her eyes narrowed even more, 'like what?'

'If I win, you...' he smiled, his teeth showing, 'you cook me dinner.'

'Oh, that's all,' she relaxed her posture and smiled, 'okay then.'

'What did you think I was going to ask you to do?' His eye brows rose at her and his smile was decidedly devilish.

She shrugged, as she pretended not to know what his eyes were implying. 'Knowing you, it could have been anything from killing someone to...God knows what.'

'It's really what's behind that 'God knows what' that intrigues me.' His tone lowered down as he kept looking at her with that smile still on his face.

Again she pretended not to see it. 'Anyway, dinner it is...and if I win, what will you do for me?'

'Anything you want, love.' His blue eyes looked straight in hers, unblinking.

She could feel a heat wave starting from her neck and going up to her cheeks and she prayed he couldn't feel that her heart had picked up its speed.

'I want...the TV and a stereo back in my room.'

It was his turn to narrow his eyes on her before nodding and took out his hand. 'Deal.' he said.

She smiled and put her hand in his and shook it, the tingling feeling like static shock between their palms.

For the next ten minutes he taught her the rules of a game and then they started playing.

As was easy to imagine his face gave nothing away as to what cards he held. He won the first three games easily and then Caroline started to understand the mechanism better and she won a good game and smiled widely, her eyes filled with glee.

Shadows slowly crept in the room as they played game after game, Klaus winning more games than her.

Every time she raised her eyes from the cards she would find him looking at her and even as she told herself not to stare back, she just couldn't help it. She would lower her eyelashes to cover her eyes, only to raise them up again, a moment later. His blue eyes seemed to follow her every movement and they certainly weren't help her concentration.

He chuckled loudly as he put his cards down with another winning hand and she pouted.

'I hate this game...shouldn't I have beginners luck or something like that?'

'Yeah...something like that.' He chuckled again as he took the snacks in the middle and added them to his.

She frowned at him. 'Or maybe you're cheating...' _And the look in your eyes keeps distracting me._

'Who needs to cheat with you.' He laughed again.

'Hey, that's not very nice of you!' She frowned at him again but she couldn't help notice how much he was laughing. She couldn't remember ever hear him laugh like this and even if it was at her expense, she didn't really mind. She liked his laughter and the way his dimples kept showing on his cheeks.

'Whoever said I was?' He asked with a smirk. 'And I should have insisted we play for clothes cause by now...' He stopped talking when he saw the stern look she was giving him again. 'Oh, did I say that out loud?'

'Stop it!' She chided him even as she could feel the butterflies exploding in her stomach. She looked at him and shook her head.

'You're like a five year old on Christmas day.' She commented as he smiled at his pile of snacks.

'Winning is everything.'

She pouted her lips. 'I thought it was more important to participate and...'

'That's bloody rubbish.' He was the one to shake his head now, then took one of the chocolate biscuits with mint cream in the middle and put it close to her face.

'Oh...' she smiled, 'you're giving me back my hundred dollars?'

'No,' he chuckled, 'it's for you to eat.' He left his two fingers holding the biscuit next to her mouth.

Caroline put her hair away from her face, and when she saw that his hand hadn't moved, opened her mouth and took a bite off the biscuit, as his eyes stayed unwavering on her. She expected him to release the biscuit, the moment she bit on it, instead he took the remaining part and popped it into his mouth.

Her eyes widened on him, but Klaus just munched on it while reshuffling the cards. Her breath seemed to have stopped in her throat. He had done it so naturally, so why did she feel her face going hot and her heart beats quickening? It was only an innocent gesture, no need to feel so flustered and flushed. She grabbed the cards in front of her and just looked at them without really seeing anything. How could anything so ridiculous have such an effect on her?

'I think someone got herself a good hand...I could swear your heart is beating faster.'

'What?!' She squealed as she put her cards closer to her face to try to avoid him seeing her blush once again.

His eye brows rose high on his forehead. 'That good, huh?'

'Oh my God...' She whispered as she lowered her face and couldn't help giggle at the situation.

When she raised her head again, she found him once more looking at her, his gaze warm.

'You're so going to lose.' He predicted with a smug face.

'It's no big deal...I could have cooked dinner anytime you asked me...I love cooking.' She said giving him a haughty look.

'Wait until I tell you what dishes I want.'

She frowned. 'That wasn't part of the deal!'

He smiled again. '_This_ is going to be fun.' He said, giving a big nod with his head.

Suddenly the door opened. 'You're still playing?' Rebekah stood in the doorway. She walked in and looking at their winnings, smirked at Caroline. 'Pathetic.'

'I'm new at this, okay?' Caroline frowned at her. 'And he plays as if his life depends on it.'

'No, just dinner.' Klaus replied.

'I sense a bet here.' His sister said as she took a chair closer to the table and sat down.

They started playing again and Caroline tried to concentrate harder. She had to win at this stupid game. As the game progressed, she tried to look at Rebekah for help and the other girl gave her head a small shake a couple of times so she changed the card she had been about to play.

'Your mood has improved.' Klaus commented to his sister as Rebekah smiled at Caroline's questioning look.

She frowned at him. 'Improved? Whatever do you mean? I haven't felt this good in days.'

Klaus looked at Caroline and rolled his eyes dramatically, making her chuckle.

'I'm totally seeing you girls. Stop helping her.' He said suddenly to his sister when Caroline won the game.

Caroline looked at him, her eyes wide but then both girls started laughing.

'Oh, come on. You're too good at this!' She pouted her lips, then looked at Rebekah. 'I'm playing against a professional, aren't I?'

'Totally.' Rebekah nodded. 'We used to meet and play for days every year or so, us siblings.'

'Should I ask what you played for?' Caroline asked.

'Money, jewelery even property...remember that castle in Russia you lost to Kol, Nik?' Klaus frowned but kept shuffling the cards.

Caroline whistled softly. 'A real castle?'

'Kol is the best player in the family, by the way.' Rebekah added.

Klaus huffed. 'No, he's not. He just gets on everyone's nerves and makes you lose concentration.'

Caroline smiled at the face he made. Klaus really hated to lose.

Rebekah nodded at the other girl. 'That's true. He used to stamp this little smile on his face from start to finish and he just never tire. Makes you feel like he's making fun of you all the time.'

The other girl started to giggle as she imagined Kol's face. 'I can totally see it.'

Klaus eyes went up to hers and he gave a little frown.

'Makes you want to break his neck.' He muttered as he passed the cards.

Rebekah rolled her eyes. 'You did. It's why we stopped doing it.'

Klaus lips went up on one corner almost as if it was a fond memory he was remembering and Caroline gave a little shake of her head.

They fell silent as the new game started and when it ended with Klaus winning again this time, Caroline looked at the one candy sweet she had left and gave it to him as well.

'Dinner making it is.' She pouted. 'Tonight?' she then asked.

'No,' Klaus smiled at her. 'You're going to need a whole day for what I have in mind.'

'Seriously?' Caroline rolled her eyes. 'You're not frightening me.'

'You would be if you were smart.' His sister chimed in.

Caroline made a face at her. 'You don't even know what he's talking about.'

The siblings started laughing ominously as they looked at her.

'Grow up, you two...' The younger vampire shrugged when they didn't answer back but just kept smiling at her, mischievously. 'I'll go have a shower before dinner.' She tossed her hair behind her shoulder and left the room with her head held high.

'Who would believe their age...' She mumbled to herself as she went up the stairs.

After taking a hot shower, she dressed for dinner and sat at the vanity to do her hair.

A knock sounded at the door and then Klaus asked, 'May I come in?'

'Yes.' She answered as she turned to look at the door. Her eyes widened when he came in holding a stereo under his arm.

'But I lost...' She said softly.

He gave her a little smile. 'Which is why you're only getting half of what you wanted.'

'Still...'

'You never really stood a chance against me, love.' He replied with his usual arrogance as he put the stereo on the empty shelf where the other stereo was the first night she slept in this room.

He looked for the plug to wire it to the wall while she turned to the mirror again and passed the brush through her hair.

'Well, since that's the case...you only get to chose one dish for your dinner.' She told him, looking at him through the mirror.

His smile widened before his head was partially hidden behind the stereo.

It suddenly hit her what a domestic scene this represented. She, talking about dinner planning, him, adjusting appliances. She frowned at herself at the strange feeling it brought to her stomach.

'Relax, sweetheart,' he said, seeing her frown. 'I was just teasing you before...you can cook me whatever you wish.'

'Hmph...' She snorted raising her chin, 'I totally knew you were.' She told him even as she let out a little sigh of relief.

She applied some light blusher to her cheeks before looking at him again. 'I used to do a pretty decent lasagna...'

'Then lasagna it is.' He replied as he switched the stereo on.

'Thank you.' She said smiling at the stereo, as a deejay's voice came on. 'So...sometime this week...for dinner?'

He nodded. 'Perfect.' He answered softly, but the way he was looking at her told her, it wasn't dinner he was referring to.

Her eyes lowered down to her lap.

'Shall we?' He asked now, as he switched the stereo off again.

She nodded and got up.

He put his arm out for her and after a small hesitation she put her hand over it and they went down for dinner.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Caroline had pulled one of the big comfy leather chairs close to the French windows in the library and after opening all the drapes, seated herself in front of them and just stared as the sun slowly went down, turning the sky from blue to orange to black. The windows overlooked the front of the house and so she could also see cars and the occasional person passing by. It made her feel closer to the world.

'What are you doing?' Suddenly Klaus was standing next to her chair.

She gave him a small smile. She had got used to how lithe he walked and how he always seemed to appear at her side.

Tilting her head she tried to sound normal but couldn't totally hide the sadness that had crept over her this evening.

'I'm starting to feel like I'm in one of those snow globes souvenirs, watching the world from inside it's dome...'

He went to sit on the window sill and looked at her for a long, silent moment.

'But I just saw a beautiful sunset...which I would have been too busy to enjoy if I had been out,' She added softly, 'so there's that.'

All of a sudden he hit his thighs with his palms. 'Go put on a pair of boots...and a coat if you wish.'

'What? Why?' She asked as her back straightened on the chair.

'I'm taking you out.' He said with a small smile.

'Seriously?!' Without knowing it she was out of the chair and standing next to him. 'Where? Why?'

'So many questions!' He frowned at her, 'Does it really matter where? Do you want to go or not?'

'Yes, of course!' She smiled at him, her face glowing. 'But isn't it...dangerous?'

His gaze softened as he looked at her smile. 'I'll keep you safe.'

She opened her mouth to ask more but then realised that what he had just said was enough.

She giggled. 'Should I change clothes too?' She asked as she went to the door.

'No...don't expect anything fancy, it's just...'

'I don't care!' She stopped him with another smile, 'wherever we're going...I'm fine with it!'

He got up and smiled with a nod. 'Meet me downstairs in five minutes.'

She sped upstairs laughing. She couldn't believe she was going out!

She looked at her jeans and blue checkered blouse as she took off her shoes and zipped up her boots. Nothing fancy he said and she believed they wouldn't go anywhere with people so she was just fine. She ran a brush through her hair, re-did her eyeliner and mascara and freshened her lip gloss. Then put some of her favourite perfume on her wrists and behind her ears, and she was ready. She took her coat from the wardrobe, in her head thanking Bonnie for having really thought of everything when she had packed her bag and sped downstairs again.

Klaus wasn't there and for a moment she feared he had changed his mind.

'Ready?' He asked as he came through the other door.

She nodded vigorously, her face alight once more and she heard him take a sharp breath inside as he looked at her smile.

'We'll go through the garage, not the front door.' He said as he pointed with his hand from where he had just came from. 'It's safer that way.'

'I don't mind,' she shrugged as they started leaving the living area, 'I'll get in the car trunk if it gets me out of here!'

At her words he stilled abruptly and a frown appeared between his eyebrows even as he kept walking.

'I didn't mean get out of here, like _that_!' She took his forearm and turned him to look at her. 'I meant go out, you know...I wouldn't...'

'Relax, love,' he took her hand from over his arm and tugged it as he kept walking, 'I wouldn't have proposed it if I didn't know you wouldn't forget your promise.'

'No, I wouldn't.' She agreed as she tugged at his hand back. Then suddenly she seemed to realise they were still holding hands and she released his. She sighed. It seemed he finally believed her again.

They arrived at the garage where Martin, one of the hybrids was already behind the wheel of one of the cars.

'Area's clean. No wolves around. Simone already called, she's sure no one's following her but she'll keep you posted, she'll be there before you, scouting the area. I'll follow your car to make sure no one else is.'

Klaus nodded and then put his hand at the small of Caroline's back and he helped her climb in the passenger's seat of his black SUV.

He got behind the wheel and pressed the remote control for the garage door to open.

'Should I lean down?' She asked suddenly nervous.

He smiled at her. 'No need. The windows are tinted, remember?'

They were out of the garage a moment later and he drove away from the house.

Even in the dark, Caroline found herself looking around the street for any signs of anyone watching them. She checked from her side of the car, then turned to look through the back window too. That's when she noticed the wicker basket on the back seat.

'Is that...is that a picnic basket?' She asked turning to look at Klaus.

He smiled. 'As I said nothing fancy. I just put in some cheese and wine...and I raided Rebekah's cupboard.'

She bit hard on her lower lip to stop herself from giggling. 'So...we're going to a picnic under the stars?'

'Pretty much.' He took his eyes from the road for a second and smiled ruefully at her. 'I couldn't take you to a restaurant...or anywhere else in Mystic Falls...too risky, but I know of a place...it's an hour drive away...remote...and as you heard Simone and Martin will be there checking the area...so we should be safe.'

'When did you come up with all of this?' She asked softly.

'The moment I asked you...and I figured that was the best way to do it, a spur of the moment thing means no one could know about it...cause I didn't.'

A long sigh escaped through her lips. He had come up with this because he had noticed how unhappy she was tonight.

He frowned, clearly expecting her to say something. 'Do...do you like the idea or we could turn back...'

'No. No, it's perfect.' _You're...perfect_.

Like Klaus said the drive took for about an hour. Caroline enjoyed that as much as everything else. She was out! She watched the world around her with a smile, then she lowered the window just a little and took in a deep breath of fresh air and then laughed.

'I missed it...and I don't even breath anymore...technically.'

'It's okay, if you want to lower the window all the way, no chance of being seen right now.' And she did, loving the wind on her face and ruffling through her hair.

Klaus had taken an intersection, and then some time later what barely looked like a road and had driven farther in. The ground had become bumpy and she hang on to the door handle as he kept driving.

Finally he stopped and went out. He went to her side before she could open her door and took her hand and helped her out. She had to admit that she liked his old fashioned ways.

She started to thank him and then noticed the scenery in front of her.

'Oh my God! This is so beautiful!' She exclaimed as she took in the small meadow, with a shallow hill and only one huge, secular tree on it. The moon shined down, revealing the forest trees on both their left side and right but this spot seemed to have been cleared to leave that little hill looking like a picture from a postcard.

'How did you know...when did you discover this place?' She asked as she turned to look at Klaus, who was taking the basket from the car.

'I painted it a few months ago.' He replied as they walked towards the hill.

Her eyes flew with alarm to his as his words sank in.

He smiled. 'No, they escaped your hand...only because they are in my room.'

She hung her head once more in remembered shame but he laughed under his breath and she knew that somehow he had really forgiven her.

'Thank God for that.' She whispered as she walked by his side. She was glad he told her to put her boots on, walking on this ground wasn't the easiest thing, she thought as her feet felt the slippery grass under her flat heels.

He crouched down under the tree and opened the basket. An owl hooted from somewhere nearby.

'I told them to put in a blanket...they must have forgotten.' He frowned angrily.

She smiled. 'I sincerely doubt that...they must have left it in the trunk...I'll check.' Having said that she walked back the short distance to the car. That's when she noticed the other car, almost hidden, parked between the trees.

She turned to look at Klaus and he nodded to her as he saw where she was looking. 'It's Simone.' He said. 'She's checking around here...Martin is around too.'

Just as she thought, a thick blanket was folded neatly at the bottom of the car trunk.

She took it out and he smiled at her. For a second she stilled. She suddenly realised that she was alone with Klaus about to enjoy a night picnic. One could almost consider it a date.

Her heart hammered in her chest at the thought. Then she took a deep breath in, she wouldn't let such thoughts ruin this for her. Not when she could look up and see the stars, and smell the earth, and feel the breeze on her cheeks.

'Put some music on.' He told her.

She opened the driver's door and switched on the radio, and then noticed his iPod was there, and with a small smile, she put that on instead and selected 'random'.

She waited for the first song to begin, it was a piece of classic music.

'You can put on the radio, if you prefer.' He told her but she smiled again as she walked towards him and spread the blanket.

'No...I think I want to know if you have some guilty pleasures in there.'

His eyebrows raised slightly and then shrugged but he did look a little uneasy as he took out some fruits, cheese and crackers from the basket.

'There _is_ something, isn't there?' She asked as she kneeled on the blanket and took out two wine goblets.

Her lips twirled up at the side, it seems like plastic cups were too much beyond him to use. He took out a cork screw and opened the wine bottle. Her eyes strayed to his strong hands, his long fingers as he poured it in the two glasses, and passed one to her. She liked his hands, artist's hands.

'I still can't believe I'm really out again.' She said as she took a sip of the rich, red wine and then breathed in a loud big breath. Suddenly her head turned to the car and then back to his face.

'Lana?...You like Lana Del Rey?' Her eyes sparkled, as the sultry singer's voice filled the quiet night.

'Yes, I do.' He admitted with a smile, 'Her voice, reminds me of...older times.'

'Happier times?' She asked.

He raised his glass and drank. Now her eyes studied his lips against the rim. She couldn't stop herself, she kept focusing on small details. Like how red, his lips were. How his stubble looked darker under the moon light. When she thought he wasn't going to answer he said quietly. 'Maybe...they were...in some ways...I really don't know.'

_Did he mean that he didn't know how it felt to be happy?_

She busied herself with taking out the rest of the food from the basket. For some reason that thought had made her sad and it was something that was happening to her often now. Knowing things about him, made her feel sad for him and she knew he would hate it if he thought she felt sorry for him.

'Do you like her?' He asked, and she nodded. 'I love her voice.'

'It's not fair though...' He said as he took some grapes and put one in his mouth, 'You get to hear my so called guilty pleasures but there's no way for me to find out yours.' Again she found herself looking at his mouth and she forced her eyes to look away.

'You have my laptop, you could easily check.'

He stopped chewing for a moment and looked down to his glass.

'You have checked it, haven't you?'

He nodded before looking straight in her eyes. 'I had to be sure there was no plan B...I was so angry, I...'

'It's okay.' She whispered quietly. And it was, she thought she would be more angry about it but she knew she had no right, not after what happened. 'So there, you have my permission to go through my music folder.'

'I think I'd prefer to hear about it from you.'

Her gaze softened on him. In a roundabout way he was telling her, he wouldn't be checking her pc again. She bit her lower lip before admitting. 'I could have...some eighties music in there.'

'Eighties?! Really?' One eyebrow went up. 'Why in God's name would you do that to yourself?'

'It's Stefan's fault really.' She said, lowering her eyes. 'He's always harking about Bon Jovi so I gave the eighties a chance and...'

'No, don't put this on Stefan.' He smirked and she frowned at him. 'Bon Jovi isn't all of the eighties.'

'Fine.' She sighed. 'I'll admit that some of the songs are corny but there are some beautiful ballads...I love them.'

He chuckled at her serious face but then kind of nodded in agreement.

He rested his back against the tree trunk while she laid back on her elbows to better see the stars.

His cell phone buzzed. He took it out, read the message and put it back in his jacket pocket.

'Everything okay?' She asked and he smiled in answer. Her eyes narrowed slightly at him. He looked so relaxed, it seemed this outing was doing him good too.

'Shall I do the lasagna tomorrow?' She now asked and he smiled again in answer.

'Fine by me.' He replied.

Another classic piece of music started and they stayed in silence for a few minutes, listening and drinking their wine. Caroline removed her coat, liking the cool breeze rushing through the trees and caressing her face as she lied completely down on the blanket and with a small smile on her lips gazed at the stars through the tree leaves.

'What are you thinking about?' He asked.

Her smile grew wider. 'I'm remembering, a night picnic with Bonnie and Elena when we were about...eight. Bonnie's grandma let us put a tent behind her house. We felt so grown up being out at night...even if were less than a two hundred meters away from the house.'

Suddenly she chuckled. 'I think we tried to count the stars...then gave up.' She felt more than saw his smile and then sighed again. 'I think that's the first time, that I actually felt that they ...liked me...and really wanted to be my friends.'

'What do you mean?'

She bit on her lower lip and looked at him sideways. 'I wasn't exactly...the nicest girl around back then.'

He raised his eye brows in question. 'No?'

She shook her head. 'I wanted so desperately for people to like me...but of course I didn't want them to know that...so I was pushy and intrusive...I watched Elena do it so naturally, she talked, she smiled and boom! people liked her. I had to work so hard for it.'

He looked at her in silence and she went on, not really knowing why she was telling him all this.

'And Bonnie didn't like me at all...' she chuckled, 'but Elena...I think Elena realised how hard I tried and the...insecurity behind it, that made me act that way...and she made it a point to always include me in their little circle ...until Bonnie started to like me too.'

'You won her over...what a surprise.' He said softly, his eyes on her.

She turned her eyes back to the moon lit sky. 'It's all thanks to Elena. She was always the one who kept us close to each other, she still is. With all that she's been through, losing her parents like that, then so many of the people she loved...if it had happened to me, I would be...so bitter at life, but she, she still finds things to be happy about and...even now...' She stopped, she really didn't want to think whose fault it was that Elena was a vampire now.

'You underestimate yourself, you've been through a lot too.'

'Nothing like her,' she replied, 'and still she's selfless and loving...you once told me, I was like their mother hen but it's really Elena that keeps us together this way...she's our glue...I don't know what we'd do without her.'

He didn't say a word, and she thought he was probably thinking she was being too emotional, and maybe she was, talking about them made her realize once again how much she missed her friends.

'Where's Rebekah tonight?' She asked, changing the subject.

He rolled his eyes. 'Do you really have to ask?'

She got up on one elbow and took a long drink from her wine glass. 'I'll let you know that there's no man more sweet and loving than Matt Donovan.'

His head tilted a little to the side. 'Then why did you break up with him?'

'That's complicated...'

'I bet it had something to do with you being a vampire...something that my sister happens to be also.'

She couldn't really argue with that. 'Anyway it's her life.' She looked in his eyes and laughed. 'She's certainly old enough.'

He snorted and she knew that no matter how many centuries passed, he would always think he had the right to interfere in his sister's life. Rebekah had said as much of all her brothers really.

Suddenly she sat up and turned to look at him. 'What is this that I'm hearing?'

'Just my luck.' He grumbled under his breath, '...of all the songs in that bloody thing.'

'Tell me? What the hell...'

'It's an Italian song.' He said with a wry smile. 'I spent quite a few months in Italy back in the seventies and this song was played...a lot. It's like with the drawings...a song can capture a moment.'

She giggled as she listened to the singer's beautiful but sad voice.

'Let me guess...he's singing about a lost love.' She wished she had the courage to ask him what moment had this song captured for him.

No,' he shook her head, 'he's actually...in awe...of this girl he's found.'

But he sounds so sad!' She tilted her head at him, 'tell me what he's saying...please.'

He moved away from the tree and sat closer to her. He listened for a moment then said. '_Amore mio..._My love...what have you done to the very air I breathe...and how can you be in every single thought I have...swear again, that you exist...for real.'

She studied his face as he translated the lyrics, his eyes looked at the space in front of him. She motioned with her hand for him to go on and he sighed as gave his head a little shake.

'My love...what have you got that's so different from all the others...' he slightly twitched his lips and then looked at her, 'in front of you...you, who are so very important to me...all the love that I'm capable of...is really...nothing.'

His eyes stayed glued to hers and her heart beat against her rib cage.

'He fears he's not capable of loving her as much as she...deserves?...It's beautiful.' She finally whispered.

He let out a sigh of relief and grinned. 'Good, that's one song you won't make fun of, then.'

She took an apple and broke it in the middle, then gave him half. 'I think...that I will have to say, I like your choices in music.' Taking a bite from her half, she lowered herself down again.

'Take it easy...let the shock sink in slowly.'

She laughed up at his face. 'What?'

'You just said you liked something I like...I mean, what is your world coming to?' He teased her.

She narrowed her eyes. 'Very funny.'

'Okay, then,' he raised his eyebrows at her. 'I challenge you to find...three things you like about me.'

'Three?' She said in mock horror, 'that's impossible!'

'See, I told you.' His tone was playful, but there was something in the way he looked at her that said differently.

They looked at each other. 'Your choice in music!' She shouted just before he spoke.

'Damn.' He shook his head and she smiled at him knowing he had just been about to exclude that very same thing.

She looked at him for a moment before turning her eyes to look up at the dark sky. 'I also like...the way you draw...how you make things come alive in your pictures. I think you're a...talented artist...very talented and every time I think of what I did...'

'Thank you and...third thing?' He stopped her as she was going to apologize again.

She smiled and kept looking up. She would never be able to say these things while looking in his face. She took a deep breath in and admitted, 'I like your smile. Not the cocky, snarky one you show the world...but your real smile...the one you give Rebekah when she makes some funny comment...or me, you smile that way at me too...when I'm not pissing you off, that is.'

He chuckled at the face she made as she said the last words, resting on one elbow as he looked down at her.

She cleared her throat. 'Wow...that was hard but I did it! I actually found the three things.' Inside she thought that hadn't been hard at all, and if she thought about it she would find other things she liked about him. Like, his protective nature towards his sister, which one could initially see as domination but it was really great affection and really fear of losing her.

She liked his voice, his accent, his dimples, his old school ways..._maybe I've drunk too much wine!_ She stopped her thoughts abruptly. She had no business, having these thoughts.

'Ha ha.' He said sternly, not imagining what was going on in her mind, but he was only kidding as he kept smiling, his dimples deep in his cheeks.

_There it is! That's exactly the smile I was talking about!_ She thought as she looked at his beautiful lips just a few inches away from hers, forgetting that she had just been chiding herself about it.

And then suddenly before she knew what she was doing, her hand went up and fisted itself in the lapel of his jacket and a second later pulled him down, to make his lips meet hers.

She sighed from deep inside, against his mouth when she felt the softness of his lips on hers. They were really just as soft as she remembered! He growled deep from his throat as his mouth crushed on hers. It felt so good to have his lips against hers, just like that other one time. How many times had that kiss came to her mind only to shut it out? Now, she didn't have to re-think it anymore. Mouths moved over each other, with a hungry, desperate need.

Nibbling, tasting, licking.

She dug her fingers into the hard muscles on his shoulders while one of his hands went behind her head, cushioning it against the hard ground. That small but thoughtful gesture made her sigh against his mouth again and his tongue slid inside hers in a shockingly sexual caress. He seemed thirsty for her taste as his tongue played with hers. He tasted of the rich wine he had just been drinking.

It felt like the fourth of July was taking place in her mouth as the tingling was so intense. Sparks lit between their lips, then his strayed over to her cheek, and she shuddered as he kissed the tender line of her jaw and on to her neck, making her feel the rough stubble on his own jaw against her soft skin as he trailed hot kisses there. She spread her hands on his back and pulled him even closer still, her breasts crushed against him. His thigh slid between hers, his hips thrusting forward making her gasp with the need that suddenly filled her body. A fire seemed to be licking at her veins, filling her with a need so strong, it made her moan. Through their bond she could feel the same fire going on through the blood in his veins and his body grew hard against hers. His hand roamed down to her blouse and under it, his fingers caressing her flat stomach and then higher, until they found her lacy bra. They moved over her breast, caressing her through the lace and her upper body arched against his in pleasure.

Her own hands went down his jacket and under it. They fisted in his shirt and pulled it out of his trousers. She was desperate to feel his skin against her hands. And when they did, it was like electricity was travelling from her skin to his and vice versa. Her fingers trailed up, loving the feeling of his hard muscles under them. She felt his human teeth nibbling under her ear and her nails dug deeper in his back. His hand left her breast to go behind her back and lower, cupping her buttock and pressing her hard to him, leaving her in no doubt of how much he wanted her.

His mouth moved over hers again. His kiss was slower this time, with gentle brushes and small kisses as he took his time to explore her lips. Then he deepened the kiss once more, his mouth open over hers before grabbing her lower lip and sucked it gently, then caught it between his teeth and let it slide out softly.

'Caroline...' He whispered her name against her mouth as he rolled over and brought her on top.

Hearing Klaus' voice was like a cold bucket of water had been dosed on her, her eyes spread open and suddenly she pushed him away and rolled away from him and got up speedily on shaking legs.

Both her hands flew to her mouth, her eyes large as saucers as she looked back at him.

He stayed where he was on the blanket, looking up at her with a stern look in his eyes.

**In case anyone's interested the Italian song really exists and it's called 'Con tutto l'amore che posso' by Claudio Baglioni.**


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

She shook her head slightly, almost as if she still couldn't believe what had just happened between them, even as hard breaths kept leaving her body.

'_You_...kissed _me,_ Caroline!' He was just as breathless.

She stared at him for a long tense moment. 'I know.' She whispered from behind her hands.

She couldn't deny it. She had started this. She had pulled him, for the kiss.

'You wanted it.' He said again.

'I'm...I'm sorry.'

'What for?' He asked in a clipped tone. 'This is what we both wanted...for a long time.'

She shook her head again and bit on her lower lip.

'Don't deny it! We both know it's true!' A deep frown settled between his brows but he took a deep breath to obviously try to control himself.

'It shouldn't have happened!' She lowered her hands in fists at her side. 'I'm sorry! I don't know what came over me. It's this...this stupid spell! I love Tyler!'

He got up shaking his head. 'This has nothing to do with the spell.'

'I love Tyler!'

'I heard you the first time!'

'I'm sorry.'

'Stop. Apologizing.' He didn't raise his voice and somehow it made his words sound even more outraged.

They stared at each other, once again in silence. A breeze, ruffling the leaves above their heads the only sound. Then he looked up at the dark sky as he took long, deep breaths.

Still looking up he said in a quiet voice, 'I've waited and waited...hell! I don't know how I kept that kind of restraint on me but I did! I did it for you! I waited until you...' his eyes came down to look for hers, the blue looking almost violet with the fire that seemed to be burning in them, 'even if I could read,_ feel _the same desire in you that I had...I held back and waited for you to be...ready, until _you_ took the first step.' His eyes softened, 'And you did. You _finally_ did.'

'I told you, it's the spell...I'm sorry!' She almost shouted.

His eyes hardened once more. 'NO!' He shouted back, making her flinch. 'The way we feel, has nothing to do with the spell.'

She shook her head violently. She didn't want to listen to his words because he was wrong. The spell was controlling her body, making her do things she would never have done otherwise. She loved Tyler, and Klaus...Klaus was someone she could never have any feelings for! _He was evil, he was...Klaus_! She thought desperately as she shut out the thought that reminded her that she had just been thinking about what she liked about him. Or to think of how much she had enjoyed every moment she had spent with him lately.

He must have seen the panic in her eyes cause he sighed softly.

'Sweetheart...' Klaus took one step closer to her and her eyes widened in alarm and took a step backwards. She didn't want him to touch her again, honestly she didn't know how her body would react if he did. She bit her lower lip, hard. It was like she didn't trust herself.

He completely stilled when he saw her moving away from him, his lips parted in surprise but his eyes looked hurt. He slowly closed his eyes as if he couldn't bear to look at her at that moment.

'Get in the car, we're going back.' He said quietly.

She faltered for a second, wanting, wishing to say more, but not really knowing what. He gave her his back and looked at the dark tall trees in front of him.

Her shoulders sagged and she walked away from him and got in the car, closing the door quietly behind her. _Oh my God, what have I done?_

She saw him take out his phone and talk for a few seconds. He was surely calling back Simone and Martin.

He climbed behind the wheel a moment later. Anger, tension, was coming off him in waves as he looked through the windshield and almost without realizing she moved away from him until her back touched the passenger door.

He gave her a side look and snorted.

'Why are you so scared? It's not like I'm not going to jump on you or anything!'

She gasped, 'I know you wouldn't.'

He snorted louder in answer.

'I'm so-'

He flashed her such an angry look that the words died in her throat.

'Please...I'm trying to explain...' She tried again.

'Explain what?'

'That I'm not that kind of girl...'

He gave her another side look. 'What kind would that be?'

'The kind that plays men along, only to...who teases a man in thinking...I would_ never_ do that.' She felt her eyes fill up with tears.

'Okay.' He replied looking in front of him once more.

'Klaus, please. You have to believe me.' Her hand went almost to touch his forearm but she stopped it in midair.

'I said, okay.' He repeated, his tone sounding indifferent

'Klaus...'

He hit the steering wheel with both hands. 'Since when do you care what I think of you anyway?!' He growled before finally looking straight at her.

Her mouth opened but no words came out. Now it was her turn to look away.

He was right. What did she care what he thought of her? But she did! Of course she did! Somehow, somewhere along, in the weeks they've been forced to spend together, his opinion had started to matter to her. It mattered what he thought of her, and right now she could see that he was more than just mad at her and she didn't know how to make it better. How to explain what happened when she was the first not to understand herself and her actions. Why couldn't he see that it was all the spell's doing?!

She loved Tyler and...yet she had wanted to kiss Klaus so badly tonight and...even before, she reluctantly admitted to herself. It was like she couldn't control her own actions...the spell was. _It had to be the spell._

He started the car and backed it in reverse. Her eyes fell on the remainings of their picnic, left under the tree. Why did she had to go and ruin such a wonderful night? She asked herself even as she held back the urge to cry.

Klaus drove all the way with his hands gripping the steering wheel so hard, that his knuckles stayed white all the time. He didn't utter another word but every time her eyes would dart a furtive glance at him, a muscle in his jaw would tighten, letting her know he felt her gaze on him and she looked away.

Halfway back to Mystic Falls, he took a sudden break, the car almost stopping in the middle of the deserted road, his eyes turned to look at her with a deep frown. He seemed to be grasping with something...as his eyes searched hers, which had widened once more.

After a long tense moment he shook his head and let out a little frustrated sigh and dragging his eyes to the road again, increased the speed once more.

They got back to the mansion in complete silence, once more going through the garage and into the house without the slightest mishap.

'Stop with the forlorn face.' He finally spoke, his voice cold, once they were in the living area in front of the unlit fireplace.

'I just...'

'It was just a few kisses, not the end of the world.' He rolled his eyes at her as if he was already bored of talking about it.

'So you're not angry anymore?' She tried to match his tone, while wanting to kick herself and her stupid heart for not being as indifferent. For him, most probably it was like one of their tingling touches, felt, liked in that moment and forgotten a second later.

But still, what he had told her, spoke of something totally different.

'I was never angry...more like...disappointed.' He raised his eyebrows knowingly, before giving a small shrug.

Now it was him she wanted to kick. Hard. And maybe she would have done it if she didn't know she'd hurt herself in the process. _Damn spell!_

'Of course, so typically you!' She snorted. 'I say I hate those kind of girls, so that's the button you push.'

He let out a mirthless chuckle. 'Well, you certainly knew what buttons to push with me so...'

'Oh shut up!' She shouted angrily at him.

He raised his eyebrows at her again, 'No more apologizing I see.'

'You told me to stop!'

'Why are we still talking about this?! You. Just refused the best sex you'll ever have in your life and no, love, that is not a line! But hey? Your loss!' His eyes, his voice, they were so cold as he seemed to look right through her like she wasn't even there. It was like she could almost see the shutters in front of his eyes, closing himself from her.

'Don't...' She pleaded with him softly.

'Don't what?!' He growled, not realizing what she was asking of him. 'Don't notice the way you look at me? Or the way our bodies respond to each other's when we're close?...Whatever you say. You and I know the truth about tonight...about what's been going on between us.'

'It's not like that...' She whispered. 'That's just the...'

'You're a coward!' He shouted at her, stopping her from saying what he already knew she would say. 'You're too scared to see what is out there...waiting for you! You prefer to keep on living in your safe little world...so go ahead...' he spread his arms wide, then let them fall down heavily, hitting his sides, 'and pin what happened tonight to the stars, the wine, the music...or yes, your favorite, to the spell.' He started going up the stairs as he talked and when he was almost at the top, she heard him add, 'Whatever makes you sleep better.'

She stayed where she was, looking up the stairs even when he was no longer in sight.

Then slowly dragged herself to the library, her feet heavy. She didn't want to go back to her room. The leather chair was still where she had left it, in front of the windows with the drapes open. She seated herself and pulled her feet up until her chin rested on her knees.

She stared out the windows without seeing anything, her mind too filled up with thoughts about all that had just happened.

She closed her eyes and hit her forehead against her knees, as she fought with herself to calm down the thoughts, the feelings chasing each other in her head.

She was still there when the world took on a pink tint and then slowly, daylight arrived. And still her brain was in the same uproar it had been since she had sat down.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Caroline took a deep breath and raised her hand to knock on Klaus' study door in front of her. The fist stopped in mid-air and she lowered her hand again. She had been out here for five minutes already, about to knock and then stopping at the last second.

It was the evening after their disastrous outing and she had spent the whole night and day going through every detail and yes, she was absolutely sure, it was the spell that had made her act that way.

She loved Tyler, and she missed him and even if she there was a part of her that could be physically attracted to Klaus, she wouldn't act on it. It had been the spell. There was no other explanation.

She wasn't a coward and she wasn't afraid.

If there had been a softening from her part over him, it was only because she felt guilty about what had happened with her attempted escape and the hybrids dying, and had tried to make it up to him.

They had made progress between each other, good progress and they had gone along so much better since then and she wasn't willing to lose it because of one stupid mistake. Her stupid mistake, she admitted.

She had waited to meet Klaus all day and hopefully he'd be in a lighter mood, and willing to listen to her, but he had been, first, out all morning and then closed in his study the rest of the day. So she had decided to take the bull by the horns and confront him.

Taking another deep breath and not letting herself think about it again. She knocked twice on the door.

His voice invited her in...and her heart skipped a beat. She winced at the still closed door. If just his voice had this affect on her, how will it feel to look in his eyes and tell him what she needed to say?

She closed her eyes for a second before turning the knob and entered his study.

His eyes flicked to her for a quick glance, before lowering down to the table in front of him again. He seemed to be studying a map.

'Needed something?' He asked, not looking up.

She stared at his lowered head.

'Are you avoiding me?' She suddenly asked.

A grin appeared for a second on his face before he turned serious again.

Her eyes focused on the grin and his lips. In a flash, she felt them back on her own, soft, sweet and tasting of wine.

'I got a witch to find and a pack to destroy...and yes, totally avoiding you too.'

She lowered her eyes, hating that he could make her feel like a simpleton for thinking that it mattered one dot to him what had happened between them yesterday. Hating that she couldn't shake those moments off her mind. She had spent hours over endless hours going through it all while he...

'Anyway shouldn't that had made you happy...not seeing me for a whole day?' He asked, twitching his lips, and making her eyes follow the movement once more.

She sighed heavily, 'So any luck with finding the witch?' she asked instead of answering his question.

'No,' his jaw twitched with impatience, 'Elijah...is still looking.'

'Can we talk?'

'About?'

'Last night.'

He sighed heavily. 'I thought we said all there was to say yesterday.'

'Not everything...I didn't get to...thank you...' She said softly.

He raised his eyebrows suggestively.

'The picnic!' She said sternly, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. 'I was obviously talking about the picnic! I don't think you realized how much it meant to me that you did that for me...with what happened I didn't get to...' She lowered her gaze, flustered, and then continued, 'I really needed it...you know leaving this house and being out! I'm truly grateful you took the time to do that for me...so I wanted to thank you.' She gave him a small smile. She was trying desperately to put things back on the right track between them, and that couldn't happen if they didn't clear yesterday's events.

'You're welcome.' He replied. '...is that all?'

She sighed heavily. He was definitely making this as hard as possible for her.

'How you can act so childish at your age is beyond me!'

'Excuse me?!'

'You heard me! I'm here, trying to talk to you like, like adults and you...'

'Adult? You?' He barked at her. 'When you won't even admit you're attracted to me?'

'Fine!' She shouted back, angrily. 'You're a very good looking man and I have eyes!' She spread her arms at him before taking a deep breath in. 'Now_ you _admit it!' She replied in a quieter tone.

'That I want you?! I think I made that pretty clear long ago!' He stated firmly.

For a moment she was stunned to silence. It was one thing, to see it in his lingering looks, in his flirting ways and they both skirted around it like a thing that was there but never acknowledged but quite another to hear him bluntly say it.

She cleared her throat. 'I meant that...that the spell is responsible for...'

'No,' he interrupted her 'the spell makes us aware of what the other is feeling physically, it doesn't make us feel it!'

'Oh come on, Klaus, you know exactly what I'm talking about! That...that undercurrent spark whenever we touch...I know you feel it too and you can't tell me that's not the spell!'

'You mean this?' He was suddenly next to her and he ran his fingers of both hands up her arms causing goose bumps on her flesh along with the tingling. 'Or this...' He asked again as his face went close to hers and his nose touched softly against her cheek and inhaled deeply.

She closed her eyes. When he was this close, it was impossible for her to think clearly, but she stood her ground, cause she had to make him see. If she moved away, he'd see it as another rejection and he'd close himself again. Still she couldn't bring herself to look in his eyes.

'The spell heightens things, it makes them seem...' She tried to explain once more.

'No,' he replied, 'This is us. This is what we both feel and want.'

He took her hand and pressed it to his cheek, leaving his hand over hers. The tingling feeling enveloped her hand and small electric shocks traveled from both sides. From his cheek pressed to her palm, his stubble rough against it and his hand pressed on hers.

'I realize now, I should have stayed and talked it through last night, but I was too angry...I let my anger take over, when I'm like that and I...it's my bad temper...' he released a big breath out.

She inhaled slowly as her eyes traveled up to look in his, feeling as she did, what just that small touch of her hand on his face, did to him.

And to her.

She _wanted_ to touch him.

So much.

His eyes softened. He was feeling exactly what she was feeling. 'Sweetheart, I know that you didn't plan for this to happen...' he let out a small sigh, 'even...if it's been there from the beginning...but that's why I waited and held back...that's why I let you...I gave you time...to...' He pressed her hand closer to his face, his eyes warmly looking in hers.

She bit her upper lip to stop herself from crying. She had never seen him lost for words before. He was even willing to show his vulnerability in order to talk to her. This was the Klaus he kept hidden from the world. This was the Klaus she knew existed and wanted to see, all the time. Unable to stop herself, her thumb caressed his cheekbone.

He closed his eyes. 'I gave you time...even if I ached for you...' He whispered and she gasped as his words seemed to clench her heart in a fist and squeeze.

Because he was finally showing himself to her for the wrong reasons. This was her fault too. She had made him believe, her actions yesterday had made him think...

She knew she had to stop him before he said anything else but his face was so beautiful in that moment, a real, deep emotion in his eyes, she didn't want it to see it gone.

She shook her head sadly and closed her eyes.

He moved his head slightly and his lips touched her palm skin softly.

She gasped, her eyes opening again, and he frowned deeply. 'I did that before...when?'

She pulled her hand away and moved a few paces away from him. She lowered her eyes. She knew exactly when he had done that before. He had been out of his mind with fever...and he remembered.

'Stop fighting against what you really want, Caroline.'

'It's not.' She answered quietly, looking at him. 'It's not what I want. I admit that...this spell may confuse the hell out of me...'

He was over her in a flash, one of his hands over her mouth. 'Stop it! Stop using the spell as an excuse!' while the other one on her back stopped her from moving away from him.

Anger sprinted immediately in him, his eyes flashing in hers that even if she knew he couldn't hurt her and even if she wasn't afraid of him she still felt like crying because that warm, vulnerable look in his eyes was already gone.

With his arm around her back he pulled her closer to his body, while he slowly released her mouth from under his other hand, his thumb moving across her lips.

Her hands hurt with the need to go up and touch him, hold him. Their bodies were against each other's, her breasts flattened against his chest.

_It's the spell! _She told herself as she fisted her hands to will them to stay at her side.

'You're afraid of your own desires,' he whispered hoarsely to her as his face came closer to hers, his breath fanning her cheek while his hand lowered to her neck, her ear and his fingers splayed in her hair.

His face was so close, her eyes lowered down to look at his beautiful lips so near her own. His eyes were so intently looking at her that it felt like they were burning her. Against her own will, she felt her head shift closer to his and her lips parted. She felt more than saw his small smile and she closed her eyes.

His lips brushed against hers in the softest of touches.

My God, it was like a magnet that all of a sudden, she couldn't break away from. They had been this close before. In the gym, in her bathroom, in her room...

She had always resisted any urge, any pull, towards him. Now, it was like the dam that she had built to keep him away, had been washed away by last night's kisses and she couldn't resist him anymore. She didn't seem to be able to control her own body. A moth drawn to the flame, even if it burned it.

'Don't do this.' She whispered, maybe to herself, even as her body was shouting differently, to her, to him. 'I'm trying to tell you...I made a mistake yesterday...if the spell made me do it or if it was just me, it doesn't matter,' her eyes welled up, blurring her vision, 'it's _still_ is a mistake and I'm...I didn't mean it to happen...I love Tyler, I won't risk losing what I have with him for...'

He released her so suddenly she staggered back but forced herself to go on.

'...and I know, I _know_, you have a right to be angry with me...or,' she shook her head but still said the word, 'or _disappointed_ if that's really how you feel but I didn't mean to hurt you...'

'Hurt me?!' He barked at her, 'You think you have the power to hurt me?'

She almost cried out in pain as just what she thought happened. His eyes had turned, blue ice cold and his face had became impassive.

'Don't do this! Don't close yourself from me!' She pleaded with him. 'We were becoming friends.'

'What?' He laughed in her face. Even the tone of his voice, had turned cold. His accent more pronounced.

'You know it's true.' She said, even as her shoulders stooped a little, in defeat.

'I don't want to be your _friend, _Caroline!' He shouted in her face and she turned hurt eyes on him, glistening bright with tears.

'Don't look at me like that, you know what I mean!'

'Well, my friendship is all I can offer you...so if you don't want that...'

'And what about the kiss at Bonnie's cottage?' His eyes were suddenly fiercely looking in hers.

Her eyes widened in her face as she stared at him in surprise. 'You remember...' _NO! No! NO! _ Her brain shouted.

'My God, it's true!' He seemed just as surprised. 'I had almost convinced myself it was a dream...'

One tear came down her cheek and she removed it with her fingers.

'Were you _ever_ going to talk to me about it?' He asked now, his voice velvet soft.

'No.' She admitted just as softly. Another tear followed the same track of the other.

'Let me guess_...another_ mistake...so you chose to just forget all about it?' His voice was hard even as his eyes burned in hers. 'But wait...there was no spell then...so what will you put the blame on, for that?'

She closed her eyes tightly. That beautiful moment came back to her so clearly as if it had just happened now.

'Talk to me, damn it!' He shouted and she gasped.

'It was pity, okay?! I kissed you, out of pity!' The lie slipped through her lips and the words were out before she could straighten her panicked thoughts.

Because how could she explain something she didn't understand herself? How could she explain that night? Those hours filled with fear, as with every breath he took, she feared was his last?

And how could she explain that moment? When the world had seemed to just go quiet for those long seconds? Whatever she said, he would read things she fought so hard not to even think about, because they had no place in her life and heart. She had to lie!

The stunned look he gave her, was almost like she had slapped him. She fought against the urge to lower her eyes or he would catch her lie.

'Pity?' The word came out through his lips like a little whisper.

'You were...dying,' more tears came down as she tried to find a way to soften what she had just said, 'you kissed me and I...I didn't have the heart to push you away.'

'Get out.' He ordered her quietly as he lowered his eyes down to the floor.

'No...'

'Out!' He roared.

In a flash he grabbed her painfully, his fingers digging in her soft upper arms and a second later she was looking at the closed door of his study.

Another second passed and her shoulders went up to her ears and her eyes closed tightly as a crashing sound came from behind the door. She winced again as glass shattered and heavy objects hit against the walls and door.

_I'm sorry! _She thought and suddenly she was disgusted with herself and her apologies as much as Klaus was. She really was a coward.

She had ruined that incredible moment with a lie, because she was too afraid of what it meant and why it had happened.

She vampire sped away upstairs and after closing the door to her room behind her, slid her back down it, and ended up in a heap at its foot. Her breath was coming out in loud, short gasps but her eyes were dry. She had no right to cry! Not when she had brought up, all this on her own. By her own, selfish, irresponsible ways.

She had done it. She had finally made him hate her.

She knew him well enough to know that pity, was something he would never accept. Not from her. Not from anyone.

She tried to tell herself that it was for the best, that going back to the way it had been when they first met, was better. They hated each other. End of story. But it wasn't that easy.

So many things had happened, so many things had changed. She couldn't look at him and hate him anymore, even if he hated her.

He was still Klaus, the original hybrid who killed and hurt people whenever it suited him, but he was also Klaus, who had kissed her so lovingly. Klaus, who had given her another chance after she tried to escape and two of his hybrids had died because of it. Klaus, who could smile so warmly at her, to leave her breathless.

A soft cry left her body along with a haggard breath she let out as she tried to calm herself.

_And now what?_

The question kept burning in her brain and she could find no answer for it.

An hour or two later, she wasn't sure how much time had passed, a soft knock on the door had her jumping up from the bed, where she had finally sat on its edge after getting up from the floor.

'Yes?' She asked and a moment later, Danielle's head appeared from behind the now open door.

The two girls had barely talked since the night of her attempt escape. Danielle was as gentle as ever but the warmth with which she used to smile at Caroline was gone. And yet now, there was something in the hybrid's eyes that she couldn't read.

'Klaus wants you to go downstairs.' The black haired girl told her.

Caroline nodded once, calmly, then asked, 'Is something wrong?'

'No.' The other girl, shook her head but somehow the vampire wasn't convinced.

She took a deep breath. _Only one way to find out_, she thought as she left her room.

What could he do? Was he angry enough to compel her like his sister used to tell him? Would he...

She stopped her thoughts altogether. No use thinking about what could happen.

Caroline was half way down the stairs when she saw Klaus near the couch. His eyes flicked up to hers.

He didn't look angry anymore. His eyes stayed on her as she came down, but she couldn't read his expression at all.

Her eyes searched his. 'What is it?' She asked him as she slowly went to him. Why did she have the feeling that something important had happened or was about to.

'Care?' The familiar voice behind her made her turn her head with a start, and then gasp loudly.

'Bonnie?! Oh my God, Bonnie!' A second later, she was crushing her friend in a bear hug.

She had been so focused on Klaus, that she hadn't even seen her best friend in the same room.

Bonnie chuckled. 'Easy there...' Even as she hugged her fiercely back.

'I missed you so much!' The vampire said in her hair.

Bonnie rubbed her back. 'I missed you too...we all did.'

'Wait...How come you're here?' Caroline's eyes suddenly searched her friend's face worriedly. 'Has something happened? Is everyone okay?'

'Yes...everything is fine, I'm here for you.' Bonnie smiled at her.

'I don't understand...'

Bonnie's smile dimmed a little as she frowned at her friend. 'The spell, Caroline...I found a way to break it.'


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

'What?!' Caroline looked at her friend as if she hadn't understood her words.

The witch's eyes went up to Klaus for a moment before going back to her friend's. 'Yes. I...I finally did it. I found a way.'

The blond girl just stared at her with her mouth open, her eyes confused.

'Caroline...is everything all right?'

Caroline's eyes searched Klaus' too, who was calmly regarding her back. That strange look was still in his eyes but she still didn't know what it meant.

'Yes...' She dragged her eyes back to the witch. 'I'm just so...amazed.'

'I know it took me way longer than I told you...but I hope you know, I never stopped looking...'

The vampire smiled widely at her friend. 'Of course, I know that!'

Bonnie looked at her intently, as if searching for something in her face. 'Good...for a moment there, you looked as if you had totally given up on me, saving you from...' Her words faltered then added, 'from the spell.'

'No. I never doubted you.' Caroline told her, as she stole another glance at Klaus. 'So tell me how did you...'

'Does it really matter the how and why?' Klaus said impatiently. 'All you need to know, is that she's here to make do for her own mess.'

Both girls shot him an angry look but he just rolled his eyes impatiently.

Caroline shook her head slightly. 'He's just...'

Bonnie openly frowned at her with a slightly confused look, and Caroline realized she had been about to defend Klaus to the witch.

'Shall we start?' Klaus asked now, looking at Bonnie. His voice, quiet.

Caroline looked from one to the other. 'Now?'

The witch nodded, before going to the bag that was on the couch. She took out one of her ancient books and some candles.

She put the candles in a wide circle. Caroline sat down on the couch and watched her friend prepare everything. Her knees were shaking and her heart was hammering in her chest.

This was what she had prayed for since she had arrived in this house, so why did she know feel like she wasn't ready? Like it was all happening too soon, too fast?

She couldn't resist looking at Klaus again, who stood a few feet away from her, watching Bonnie too.

He was the picture of calmness as he waited for the witch to be ready.

She thought she was coming down here for some terrible confrontation with him and instead it was like the ground had been snatched out from under her and she didn't know how to react.

'Go into the circle, please.' Bonnie looked up at them as she walked a few steps away and kneeling down in front of the fireplace, opened her book.

Both Caroline and Klaus moved in the circle as she asked and kneeled down in front of each other.

'Could...could you two, please...hold hands?' She gave her friend a small apologetic smile, 'it would help me.'

Caroline turned to look at Klaus who was silently looking back at her. Slowly he raised his arms, palms up and after a slight hesitation the blond vampire put her hands on them. She lowered her eyes as his touch send tiny sparks from her palms up to her arms as his fingers closed around hers. Would she ever get used to this feeling?! No matter how many times they touched and she felt like she got used to the tingling, it always still took her by surprise. Suddenly she gasped as she realized that this was the last time she would feel it.

If Bonnie succeeded, the bond would be gone forever. No more tingling touches, no more electric sparks between their skins like she was feeling now, no more knowing how it felt for him to touch her.

And she would leave this house, leave Klaus and go back to her life. The thought made her eyes fly up to search his but he was looking down at their hands entwined. Then his head turned sideways and he looked at Bonnie.

'Go ahead.' he said in a cold tone.

_He can't wait to be rid of me!_ She bit her lower lip to stop it from trembling. _I should be just as eager as he is, so why aren't I?_

Against her own will, her hands squeezed his and finally he looked up at her. Maybe a few weeks ago, she would have said that his gaze was totally indifferent but now she knew him better and could detect a shadow in his eyes that hinted to a hidden feeling.

Bonnie started chanting words and the fire immediately blazed stronger in the fireplace. Caroline's eyes seemed locked to Klaus' as she felt unable to look away.

The witch raised her head to the ceiling and the chanting became louder. Caroline took a deep breath as she felt her hands and arms warm up.

'What is it?' Klaus asked her.

'Don't you feel it?' She asked him back.

He frowned as he looked at her. 'No...what?'

Caroline looked straight in his eyes, wincing a little at the increased warmth in all her body now. 'It's like...my body is heating up.'

His hands squeezed hers harder. 'No. I feel nothing...does it hurt?'

Bonnie's voice kept going with its chanting. The candle's flames were big and high around them.

'I...I can take it.' Even as she finished the words, the heat increased, She looked at her arms almost thinking she would see the skin turn red or blister, but they were of course perfectly healthy. She bit her lower lip to stop from groaning in pain but Klaus noticed anyway.

'Is it getting worse?' He searched her eyes. 'Should Bonnie stop?'

The concern in his voice, made her look up in his eyes again. The blue gaze showed worry as his forehead creased with a frown.

'No. It's okay...we need to do this.' Seeing concern in his eyes after what had happened between them made her want to cry.

'Not if you're hurting...Bonnie?' He turned to look at the witch.

Bonnie looked at her friend even as foreign words kept flowing from her mouth

The blond vampire shook her head at her even as she squeezed Klaus hands even tighter.

'Caroline?' The witch called out her name.

'Don't...stop.' The vampire shook her head. It was really starting to feel like the veins in her body were burning inside her. She closed her eyes tightly against the pain and without knowing it, leaned towards Klaus, resting in the circle of his arms.

'She's burning up, Bonnie stop!'

'No, no...don't.' Caroline said faintly as her forehead pressed against his chest.

The fire blazed out of the fireplace filling the room with its heat, and lighting it up as if it was daylight. A hot wind was whirling around them in the circle made by the candles making her eyes burn and her hair fly around her face. She felt like she was burning from the inside and the outside.

A groan of pain escaped through her lips and she fell against his body, their hands still entwined. He shouted her name, but she shook her head and squeezed his hands tighter. His cheek rested on her head and even through the pain her lips opened up in a little smile, even her head tingled when he touched it.

Suddenly it felt so much like real flames were licking at her body that she couldn't contain a scream from leaving her body and she looked up in his eyes as blackness enfolded her, her last thought being that she had never seen such a distraught look in his eyes before...

'Come on, love, come on! Open your eyes, talk to me...'

Klaus deep voice filtered through to her. Her face was resting against something soft as she slowly opened her eyes. The pain was gone and she breathed deeply in relief. Klaus face was the first to come in her vision as he stood over her and she realized she was still on the floor but resting in his arms, her face against his jacket. She moved her eyes and found another two pair of concerned eyes looking at her. Bonnie and Rebekah.

'Are you okay?' Her friend asked her, with a weak voice. The spell had obviously taken its toll on her too.

'Yeah...I think so? Did it work?'

Without waiting for an answer, she put one hand up against Klaus face while the other one squeezed one of his hands...and it was gone. That feeling that always choked her breath, that rush that came from him whenever they touched. Gone.

Gone...and yet. Now it was just her hand on his cheek and her hand in his and yet, still now with their fingers laced together and her eyes searching his, there was still that...that friction she felt every time they stood close enough to touch. She released his hand and dragged her eyes from his to look at Bonnie. 'It's gone.' She told her as she forced a bigger smile to form on her lips even if she didn't feel like smiling at all. 'Gone...Thank you!'

Bonnie squealed with delight and hugged her tightly. 'You're free!'

Returning the hug, she caught Rebekah's eyes who gave her a little smile. 'We're finally getting rid of you.'

Caroline smirked back. 'Yeah...' They had come a long way, not that they would ever stop all the bickering between them, but now it was more for fun than to really insult one another.

'Can you get up?' Bonnie asked her.

She nodded and tried to get up. Her legs were wobbly and she felt unsteady. Klaus arms caught her after the first step.

'Tired...very...that's all.' She said quietly, not looking at him and then moved closer to her friend.

Bonnie squeezed her hand, 'We can go right away then.'

Her friend nodded, for some reason she was finding it hard to form words into sentences, and even more hard to look at Klaus, who hadn't said a word since she had regained consciousness. She could see him in the corner of her eye as he had taken a few steps away from her, his hands behind his back.

He cleared his throat. 'Bonnie, you can bring your car to the garage, so that Caroline can...leave, the pack haven't been around in a long while but it's still better this way...for them not to know that she's been here the whole time.'

'Stefan followed me here and should be checking the area...he told me to text him when we're ready to leave.' The witch explained.

'I think...it's better if we do, like Klaus says...for Tyler, he'd be in trouble with the pack if they saw me here.' Caroline replied to her friend.

She was feeling so tired, like she could fall asleep on her feet, that thinking of walking the distance to the car seemed to overwhelm her. She felt heavy, drowsy and she couldn't help look at Klaus again, who as always looked completely fine.

'Okay, we'll do as you say...I'll tell Stefan and go get my car, then.' Bonnie smiled at Caroline and walked out of the front door.

'You'll have to lie down...or they could still see you, if they're around.' Rebekah said quietly.

Caroline nodded weakly with a little smile. 'If I didn't know you better, I'd say you're worried about me but honestly, lying down...seems like a great idea, right now.'

Klaus was suddenly standing next to her, frowning once more. 'Why are you so weak?'

'When you're perfectly fine?' She asked with a shake of her head. 'Just my luck, I guess.'

The original girl smiled woodenly at her, like she too didn't know how to react. She seemed just as dazed as Caroline was feeling. 'Well, I guess...I'll see you at school.'

Caroline smiled back. 'Yeah.' She replied then looked at her brother. 'Should...should I go pack?' She asked Klaus.

He shook his head. 'Danielle will take care of that...you'll have all your things back with you tomorrow.'

_He just wants me gone_. She thought, her stomach feeling queasy as it seemed to be tightened in knots.

She nodded once and started walking out of the room after one last smile at Rebekah.

She felt him following her as she walked to the door that led to the garage from inside the house.

Every step she took, her heart banged louder. She was leaving, really leaving this house. Him. And she had so many things to say and no idea of how to say them.

Were those last angry words, that lie, really the way they were going to part ways. After all that they had been through in the last few weeks, it somehow felt wrong.

She cleared her throat but he spoke before her as they stopped behind the closed door.

'I always thought that when you got to leave this house, you would be dancing on air with happiness.' He said, putting his hands in his pants pockets, his voice distant.

'So did I.' She answered.

He gave her a quick glance. 'Why aren't you then?'

What was he really asking? She thought. _Well, at least he's talking to you! _Another thought immediately followed.

'I think I'm...too dazed. One minute I have to stay here for who knows how long, the next...I'm leaving.'

'You still should look happier.' He gave her a small frown.

She frowned back, suddenly angry. 'I'm...barely standing on my feet, I'll throw a party tomorrow if that's okay with you!'

He rolled his eyes and snorted. 'Well, you came in this house grumbling and complaining and you're certainly leaving it the same way.'

Her mouth opened in shock. She hated it when he acted all annoyed and cold. She'd much prefer it if he showed the anger he was surely feeling for her. That strange look was still in his eyes but it told her nothing. And it was driving her crazy.

'What's your problem...really?!'

'My problem?!' He repeated. 'Is that you're all maudlin faced...even now that you're getting what you wanted!'

'Maybe it's because till the last moment this damn spell throws all its worst on me and leaves you...in mint condition.' She yelled at him, while pointing with her whole hand at him.

His eyebrows rose. 'And there she goes with her favourite sport...blaming the spell.'

'Because it...' Suddenly she shook her head and silenced herself. She didn't have the strength for this. She was so very weary and on the verge of crying for she knew not what reason.

She also knew that they were having this stupid fight because it was easier than anything else they could say to each other.

She heard a car enter the garage with the engine left humming and knew that Bonnie was waiting for her.

Her hand went to the knob.

'Caroline...' He barely whispered her name but his tone held anything but indifference. 'Be...careful.'

The two words seemed to have been wrenched from him but still couldn't help say them.

Suddenly it seemed hard to even just breathe and she felt hot tears prick her eyes. She couldn't cry in front of him. What would he think? _And why the hell was she crying anyway?!_

She took a deep breath in and nodded. 'I'll lay down...'

'No, I meant, with the pack...' he suddenly smirked. 'I can't always be there to save you, you know.' He finished with an arrogant drawl.

She rolled her eyes at his tone. 'You won't have to, also because you coul-' Suddenly she gasped loudly. _Is that what he really meant when he asked her to be careful?! _If she got bitten by one from this pack, he couldn't save her with his blood.

Her eyes searched his but he looked down before letting her see whatever was in his eyes.

'I will.' She said, her voice barely audible, her hand turning the knob.

All of a sudden, his hands cupped her face, turning it towards him and his lips descended on hers.

He kissed her deeply, possessively, filling her with the taste and feel of him. The tingling may be gone and the double feeling that let her know what he was feeling may be gone, but his lips were still as soft as butterfly wings on hers and his tongue touching hers could still make her whole body shiver with pleasure.

Later, she would tell herself she had been too surprised and weak to fight him off but in reality the kiss was over before the thought even entered her mind.

'You shouldn't have done that!' She took a faltering step backward, the moment his hands released her face and pushed him away with both hands on his chest. She tried to inflict as much anger in her eyes and voice as she could but she didn't think she succeeded cause he actually chuckled.

'Well, we had to know, and...you were right. It was _really_ just the spell after all.' His lips curled into an arrogant smile, his gaze patronizing and sarcastic. Then he opened the door himself. 'See you around, love.' He said.

Her mouth opened but no sound came out.

A strong uneasiness spread throughout her body as he just kept looking at her, that look in his eyes, more vibrant than ever.

What was going on in that devilish mind of his?! She had thought that she had became better at reading him but it seems she was wrong, she thought as with heavy legs dragged herself to her friend's car. She couldn't resist giving him one last, long look before climbing in. Her lips still burning from his kiss. He was still there, the blue in his eyes shining bright, until she lowered her eyes and got in the back seat of Bonnie's car.

She lied down sideways, her hand beneath her cheek on the seat and Bonnie drove out of the garage.

She felt a tear ooze out from the corner of her eye and brushed it away even if she knew that Bonnie couldn't see her from behind her seat. She still didn't understand why she was crying.

Ten minutes later, Bonnie parked her car in front of Caroline's home.

'Thank you Stefan...for everything.' Hearing Stefan's voice on the phone put a smile to the vampire's face. 'Yes...see you tomorrow morning.'

Caroline sat up on the back seat. 'He says, there's no one around so it's ok to go in.'

Once they had left the garage, Stefan had called to say that he went ahead of them to check out around the sheriff's home, even if they knew the wolves didn't have any reason to be there.

Her friend nodded and they both left the car and went inside.

Caroline took a deep breath in and smiled. She was home.

'I'm sorry your mom is at work, cause I didn't tell her anything...but I thought it best not to get her hopes up...just in case, it didn't work out.'

The vampire smiled at her and dropped herself heavily on the couch. 'It's okay. I'll see her in the morning...for once it will be a happy surprise, I give her.'

'Caroline?' Bonnie's face look worried as she seated herself next to her friend.

The blond girl raised her eye brows. 'Are you gonna ask me if I'm all right again?...I told you, I'm just very tired, that's all.' The witch had asked her that question three times already in the car.

The frown stayed on her friend's face. 'I'm sorry the spell had such an effect on you...if the fair thing ever happened in this world, he should have been the one in pain...although when you lost consciousness, he looked so stricken...I thought he was surly feeling the same thing.'

Caroline lowered her eyes to her lap, for some reason thinking that Klaus had been concerned for her, made her heart leap to her throat. 'It's worth it...as long as I'm un-bound from...Klaus.' Saying his name in front of her friend felt strange somehow. His last words came back to her but she rejected them from her mind.

'You are.' The witch assured her. 'How...how was it living there...with him?...Did he treat you bad?'

'No!' Caroline denied immediately, then seeing the look that got in her friend's eyes, she took a breath in. 'No,' she repeated more calmly, with a smile, 'but it wasn't the easiest co-habitation.'

'It's just that you looked so...frightened when you came down...you didn't even _see_ me there.'

The blond vampire shook her head. 'No.' She repeated not really knowing what else to say. There was no way she could ever say anything about that last heated argument with Klaus, or any other for that matter.

'Did you pull some other...prank against him?' Her friend insisted again, 'Is that what all that tension between you two was about?'

'Tension?'

'Yes. Loads of it!' The witch's eyes widened. 'When I told him that I had found a way to break the spell, he just looked at me...so...so...' she faltered then shook her head, 'I don't know how to explain the look in his eyes...I almost thought, that he didn't _care_ and he wasn't going to let you go.'

'What?' So Bonnie had seen it too, that look in his eyes. 'He hates feeling vulnerable...of course he wanted the spell gone.'

'Then you came down, looking scared...and the way you looked at him...'

Suddenly Caroline put her head against the couch's back and closed her eyes. 'I wasn't scared, Bon...seriously, it's over, I'm home...I don't want to think about it anymore.' She sighed. 'Actually, I don't want to think about anything at all...I just want to go to sleep...in my bed.'

Bonnie squeezed her hand tightly. 'Of course, you're right...you want me to stay with you until Tyler gets here?'

In the car, she had explained to Caroline that Tyler was with the pack, another precaution for her to leave Klaus' house safely but had told Bonnie he would be there, soon.

'No, there's no need...I'm sure he'll be here any moment now.'

What she really wanted was to be left alone with her thoughts. It felt like her whole world had shifted and she didn't know why. Her world should be all right _now_. With her friends, in her home, waiting for her boyfriend to arrive. So why did everything feel unreal?

Bonnie left two minutes later after they hugged each other tightly and Caroline had once more thanked her from the bottom of her heart.

She went to her room and sat on the bed, looking around her. She took off her boots and laid down, to wait for Tyler. Again, being here felt surreal and finally she let the tears fall. She didn't ask herself anymore why she was crying, it felt good to just do.

When she woke up the next morning, bright sun rays filtered through her window, and she got up with a start, for a moment not remembering where she were. She was home, she thought with a long sigh.

Suddenly, she looked at the other side of the bed. There was a dent on the pillow which meant that someone had rested his head there. There was also a note.

_You were sleeping so deeply, _

_I didn't have the heart to wake you up._

_Can't wait to talk to you..._

_I missed you._

_Love you._

_Ty._

She took a deep breath in and sighed sadly. She had wanted to see him, so bad. She was sure that once she did, all would be well with her world again. She'd feel like she belonged once more. Thank God, the weakness that had taken hold of her yesterday was gone. And with it, that sadness that had claimed her as well. If there was a lingering of it in her heart, she pushed it away forcefully.

She was home. She had her life back...and it was time to start living it again. Her weeks at the Michaelsons mansion were over. The spell was gone, everything was just the way it should be in her life.

Throwing away the covers that Tyler had surely covered her with, cause she didn't remember doing that either, she ran downstairs,

'Mom!' She yelled happily, following the smell of fresh coffee.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

'Hey there, stranger.'

Caroline turned her head and smiled brightly at Rebekah. 'Hey, to you.'

She shook her head at herself in her head. Who would have thought that she would ever be genuinely happy to see the original girl? But she was.

The bell for lunch had just rung and both blondes stood in the corridor just outside the two classrooms opposite each other, they had just left. Students milled around them, talking, laughing, writing texts or calling on their phones.

'So...how was the return home?' The older vampire asked.

'Fine...good.' Caroline answered. 'I've been trying to catch up with all the lessons I've lost.'

Rebekah winced her lips. 'Boring much?' to which Caroline shrugged,

'I want to graduate...and honestly, just being able to go out is enough.' She replied. _And it keeps my mind busy._ 'What about you? Still stalking Matt at the Grill?'

'He actually talks to me now.' Rebekah smirked but her smile was a satisfied one. 'Oh, and I'm watching a new show...and I forced Nik to watch it with me.'

Caroline's breath hitched. She had spent the last five days since she had returned home, refusing to let her mind think about him. She had filled every waking moment with school, studies, and spending time with her mom and friends.

The spell was gone and with it...anything that had taken place because of it. He just had no place, no reason to be in her thoughts. But now, to suddenly hear his name spoken so casually by his sister, was like a sudden punch in her stomach.

'Well, of course this is nothing like _Once, _he would never watch that...this one is gritty and harsh ...zombies,' the other girl kept on talking, 'he loves it, even if he would never admit it.'

Caroline nodded and forced a casual smile on her lips, even as in her mind a vision of him sitting in front of the flat screen and rolling his eyes at his sister's continuous prattle came clearly to her. 'How...how is he?' She bit her lower lip. She had no reason to ask, but she couldn't help herself.

Rebekah gave her a curious short look at the question. 'More short-tempered than usual,' she then replied with a small shrug, 'He's got a plan brewing up for the pack...he's just waiting for my brothers to come home.'

'One of your brothers found a descendant then or the witch?'

The other girl sighed. 'He said I'll know everything in good time...' Suddenly she turned and looked around her. 'Where's your boyfriend?...I thought you two would be joined by the hip, making up for lost time.'

'He's still spending a lot of time at the camp with the wolves.' Caroline told her, lowering her voice even as she frowned at her. _Why was Rebekah asking about Tyler?_ She hated him.

Rebekah frowned back. 'Whatever for? He doesn't need to do that anymore...Niklaus will take care of them.'

Caroline opened her mouth to speak then closed it again. Honestly, she had barely seen Tyler since she got home. He had had the terrible idea to tell the pack, they had broken up. He had said that it was to make Tony trust him more, and so they only saw each other a few minutes at a time, always afraid of being seen by one of them.

'Oh, I bet he wants to prove to you, he can still be your hero,' Rebekah said now, mistaking her silence. 'after his failed attempt to rescue you from Nik's clutches...' suddenly she gave a little smile, 'but it's already too late.'

'Whatever do you mean?!' Caroline snapped at her.

Rebekah's eye brows rose at her tone, 'Only that you're already free, of course.'

'Tyler doesn't need to prove anything to me...' The other girl said in a quieter tone.

'If you say so.'

'Caroline!' Bonnie's voice behind her, had her turn her head.

'Late, I know...sorry.' The vampire smiled at the witch and turned to look at Rebekah again. 'Have to go now.'

Rebekah nodded and with a 'see you around' turned and left the other two girls alone.

'You're her friend, now?' Bonnie asked with a disapproving tone, as they started walking in the opposite direction Rebekah had taken.

Caroline sighed softly. 'We lived in the same house for weeks...it was impossible not to talk to her.'

'You remember all the terrible things she's done, right?' Bonnie frowned at her

Caroline hugged the books in her arms tighter to her, 'Yes. I remember.' Then looked at her friend. 'But I've done terrible things, too...I don't think I'm in a position to judge an-'

'What?!' The black haired girl interrupted her abruptly.

'Bonnie,' The vampire sighed her friend's name, as they walked out of the school and went near the lawn area where they usually sat during lunch break, 'I've killed too...and recently hybrids died because of me...'

'That's not the same thing!' The witch argued.

'Why not?' Caroline retorted. 'Because we think we're justified to do something we think it's right...but others aren't?' She lowered her eyes to her lap. 'Those hybrids had friends too, you know...friends who mourned them.' Bonnie looked at her for a long moment and then sighed, 'I'm sorry...I guess you're right... the wolves think that what they are doing is right too...the world just isn't black or white, is it?'

Caroline shook her head. 'Especially ours.'

Bonnie's lips twitched. 'Yeah...ours looks more like a muddy grey, with each day that goes by.'

The blond vampire stilled. A certain conversation returned to her mind.

_Could you like grey?..._

The whispered question came back to her as if he was asking those words now.

For the first time in the last days, she didn't push the thoughts away, she let herself remember the look in his eyes that day, in the library, when he had talked about his paintings and how he had let her see that part of him.

Caroline had to inhale deeply as a feeling, akin to pain grabbed her insides. It's why she had refused to let herself think about Klaus even for a moment in the last days, cause this weird feeling, would fill her immediately the moment she did. And she hated it, and she hated how difficult it had proved to be, slipping back in her life.

She thought it would all come naturally, instead all the things she used to do before, all the things her life were made of, now took an effort to do. It was like something was missing...and she couldn't understand what.

_She_ had been the one missing from her life, so now that she was back, everything should be okay...so why wasn't it?

'Wasn't Elena supposed to meet us here?' Her friend brought her out of her memories and strange feelings, as she looked around them.

'Yeah, she was...Stefan too.'

Bonnie shrugged as she opened her bottle of water and drank. 'I guess they're together then.'

There was still no sign of Elena hours later when the last lesson was over and they left school together.

They stopped by Caroline's car and called her cell phone which went straight to voice mail.

Both girls frowned at each other worriedly when suddenly Matt came running towards them.

Caroline immediately smelled the blood before she saw the stain on his T-shirt.

'What's wrong? What happened?' Both girls asked over each other.

'It's Jer...I found him in the parking lot...with a deep gash on his forehead.'

Bonnie gasped as her hand flew to her mouth. 'Is he okay? Where is he now!?'

'At the infirmary,' Matt stopped to catch his breath, 'I think he's got a concussion...keeps losing consciousness...all he said, was "they took her"!'

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

'Maybe we should have taken you to the hospital, just in case.' Bonnie's voice was stern as she frowned at Jeremy, who stood between Matt and Caroline as they helped him through the door to his house.

His forehead was almost totally covered with a large white bandage stuck to the left side.

'I'm fine.' He repeated for the hundredth time. 'That stupid woman, didn't let me go until she had stitched me up even if I told her I didn't need it.' he added as he landed himself on the couch.

Bonnie snorted. 'That's not what...'

'Shut up, witch.' Damon was suddenly there, his crystal blue eyes glaring angrily at her. He put his wrist to Jeremy's mouth and motioned for him to drink. 'Tell us what happened.'

'I already offered him my blood.' Caroline told the older vampire. 'He said he didn't need it.'

'With him you don't ask, you make him.' Damon retorted, pushing his wrist harder against Jeremy's mouth. After about thirty seconds he removed his arm, and growled. 'Now talk.'

Jeremy's eyes shot daggers at the black haired vampire. 'Elena and I were in the parking lot, we were talking...' he said as he wiped his lips with the back of his hand.

'What time was this?' Damon interrupted him.

'Lunch time.'

'She called me during lunch.' Stefan said, as he looked at Jeremy from the other side of the couch. As always, he was the calmest one among the group, but Caroline noticed his hands were tight in fists on his thighs.

Jeremy nodded. 'I know, I heard her talking to you...she ended the call and I asked her where she was going...and suddenly they were there, one hit me with something hard...and she tried to help me but...they broke her neck and the last thing I remember is... her feet being dragged away, before they hit me again.'

'Why the hell wasn't she with you?' Damon looked angrily at his brother.

Stefan sighed heavily. 'She said, she felt like going for a ride...she's been, you know how she's been lately...a little hyper, reckless...I told her I would go with her, but she said she was fine alone.'

'And that's what you get, for always letting her do whatever she wants.' Damon dark brows rose high on his forehead.

Caroline frowned heavily at Damon. 'Shouldn't we be concentrating on where they took her and how we're gonna get her back?'

'And why?' Matt asked quietly, from where he stood standing, behind the couch.

Bonnie sighed. 'It's obviously the pack...as to the why...'

'I keep calling Tyler but he's not picking up...he doesn't when he's with them.' Caroline huffed 'but I guess, right now, it's a good thing, he won't let them hurt her.'

Stefan leaned back on the couch. 'Tyler has been telling me how impatient they're becoming ...every day, they ask their leader to do something and he just makes them wait...and they don't even know for what...'

'The Michaelsons...the whole family will soon be together.' Caroline told him quietly.

Damon brow furrowed. 'Kol and Elijah are coming here? Why? When?'

The blond vampire shook her head, 'It's about the witch I guess, I don't know anything else... Rebekah just told me they're coming...that's all.'

'But what has that got to do with my sister?!' Jeremy snapped, as he took the bandage off. His forehead was completely healed.

'It doesn't.' Stefan lowered his eyes, his knuckles going white. 'They never attacked us before...why now...'

Jeremy put a hand through his hair. 'What if this was...just some crazy act on their part, not part of any plan...just kill a vampire...'

All eyes in the room, turned to him, 'What the hell, man?' Matt whispered, his eyes large.

'Hey, look at me. We're going to get her back.' Stefan looked directly in Jeremy's eyes, 'I promise.'

'You don't know that!' The young Gilbert snarled, 'What if they bite her...how would we...'

'Stop it! Don't talk like that!' Caroline kneeled down at looked at Jeremy too, 'She needs you to be strong! You must think of her alive, waiting for us to get her out...and we will.'

'Caroline is right, she's still alive, you idiot.' Damon growled at him, 'Why go to the trouble of kidnapping her, if they were just going to kill her? They would have done that right there where they hit you, instead they took her.'

'They want something from us.' Bonnie spoke out.

The vampire brothers looked at each other at the same time.

'The white oak stake.' Stefan whispered and Damon nodded.

Matt looked from one to the other. 'How would they know, you have that?'

'How they know a lot of things.' Damon shrugged.

Stefan got up from the couch. 'Of course, their spell failed at killing Klaus, they know_ that _still can.'

'But...but they know that if we give it to them, we would all die...if he dies, including Elena.' Caroline looked at the younger Salvatore.

'What do they care...it's not their problem.' Damon answered instead of his brother.

'Or maybe they want to force us to help them for some plan they have for the Michaelsons.' Stefan said.

Caroline's heart beat sped up at all the possible scenarios building up in her head.

'I don't care what we have to do...as long as my sister comes back home.' Jeremy said.

'Which wouldn't be for long, if they kill Klaus.' Matt retorted.

Damon snorted loudly. 'One problem at a time, children...first we get Elena back.'

'That's right.' Stefan agreed, 'but while we wait for them to tell us what they want, I say we go and check their camp...see what's happening there.'

'You read my mind, brother.' Damon said, already walking towards the door.

Stefan's phone started buzzing as he took the first step to follow Damon.

Everyone stilled and turned to look at Stefan as he pressed his phone. 'Elena?' He asked.

'No...but she's here.' A male voice answered.

Caroline had only talked once, briefly to Tony but she was sure it was him.

'Is she okay? I want to speak to her.' Stefan ordered quietly.

The wolf tsked. 'All in good time...but yes, she's fine...for now.'

'Why should I believe you?'

The answer was a low moan which turned to a scream from Elena's voice.

Stefan's hand grabbed the cell phone hard. 'Son of a bitch.'

Tony chuckled. 'You insisted.'

Damon grabbed the phone from his brother's hand. 'You touch her and...'

'Yes, yes, yes,' The wolf sighed heavily, 'the usual threats...'

'What do you want?' Damon shouted.

'The weapon that can kill an original. I want the white oak stake.'

Damon sighed and closed his eyes. 'Okay. Where and when?'

'Eleven pm. Stefan, alone, you will bring us the stake and we will give you Elena.'

'Alone, against all of you?' Again it was Damon who spoke. 'That hardly seems fair.'

Tony took a deep breath in. 'I am a man of my word, the stake for Elena, and no harm will come to either of you.'

Stefan nodded then said, 'Okay, at eleven, I'll be there.'

'Oh, and in case you are thinking of doing some heroic attempt to save your girl...I should tell you that a wolf is guarding Elena right next to her feet, and at the first smell of anyone of you, around our place, he has the order to bite her...no matter how good you are, you'll never be fast enough to save her.' And the line went dead.

Damon hit the mantelpiece of the fireplace behind him with a fist, cracking it.

'When I get this guy in my hands...I'll take his heart out in such little pieces...but first I'll cut his tongue and slap him with it.'

Bonnie touched Stefan's arm. 'What are we going to do?'

'You heard him, an attempt to save her is too risky...' Stefan shook his head, 'we'll have to give him the stake.'

Caroline went closer to them. 'What if we give them a false one?'

'Seeing that they know about it, I assume they also know what the white oak looks like, so again, no, too risky.' Stefan sighed.

'You can't take _any_ risks with Elena's life, just give them the damn thing.' Jeremy got up from the couch too.

'For once in his life he's right.' Damon smirked. 'We'll worry about the stake after Elena is safe again.'

'What if they kill Klaus?!' Caroline's voice came out louder than she had intended and all eyes fixed on her. She sighed and lowered her voice. 'What good will it be saving her, if she and all of us, end up dead just the same.'

'I said, we'll worry about that later.' Damon hissed at her.

'Caroline,' Stefan took her by the shoulders and looked in her eyes, 'I don't like giving it to them either but once Elena is safely back with us, getting that stake back will be our first priority.'

The blond vampire bit her lip and nodded. A deep feeling in her gut was telling her there was something very wrong with this decision but she also agreed that Elena's safety came first.

'I'll go get it.' Damon said before leaving the Gilbert's house.

All the others seated themselves around the living area, no one speaking for long moments.

'Just because they have the stake...doesn't mean it will be easy for them to kill Klaus.'

Bonnie said quietly, looking at Caroline.

The other girl sighed. 'I know...they could kill Rebekah instead or one of his brothers.' She didn't know how it had happened, but thinking of one of the originals dying now...was actually painful to imagine. Even if it was not Klaus...she didn't like to think of the pain he would go through if he loses one of them...or all.

'What do we care?!' Jeremy frowned at the blond girl.

Stefan was the one to sigh now. 'We should care, because if one of his siblings die because of the stake...Klaus will blame and kill us all in revenge.'

Jeremy ran a hand through his hair. 'I thought the originals hated each other?'

'They do.' Stefan replied, 'But they love each other just as much.'

'What if...what if we bring the originals on this?' Matt looked at Stefan, his baby blue eyes unsure.

Caroline looked up at him. _Was he worried about Rebekah?_

Bonnie snorted at him, 'No way! Klaus would find a way to take the stake for himself and leave Elena to die!'

'You don't...' Caroline started to speak but Bonnie's disbelieving eyes on her stopped her words.

'That's what Klaus would do...because that's who Klaus is.' The witch spoke the words quietly but surely, her eyes still fixed on Caroline, who lowered her eyes.

She couldn't argue with Bonnie over this. Klaus was really like that but he was also...she left the thought unfinished cause whatever she thought, didn't matter, not to her friends, and not even to herself, not enough to risk Elena's life anyway.

Damon came back with the stake in a bag and a map of the forest.

The Salvatores studied it, trying to find a way that they would be able to not send Stefan alone. Caroline looked at Damon's concentrated face, it seemed to have been sculpted from granite with the way he kept grinding his jaw. She knew that he was worried cause two people he loved...no, the _only_ two people he loved would be alone in that forest with about twenty werewolves.

'They'll smell your scent the moment you try...' Stefan was trying to reason with him.

Damon hit the table with his fist. 'I don't care if I have to be freaking Spiderman and fly from tree to tree...but you will not go there alone.'

His protectiveness made her think of Klaus' own way of protecting his sister.

Leaving the couch area, she went into the kitchen where she tried calling Tyler again with the same result. With the phone still in her hand, her finger itched to call another number, of another, much older hybrid.

Her finger pressed call almost without knowing and after a ring, it went straight to voice mail. 'Shit...what's with voice mails today?!' She grumbled as she switched the phone off. Maybe it was for the best, the universe was telling her she had been about to make a mistake.

Why had she even considered calling?! She asked herself with a little shake of her head. Elena's life came first, nothing else mattered.

Then why was her stomach twisting with the bad feeling of guilt...like she was betraying someone?

'No luck with Tyler, yet?' Bonnie was right next to her and with a start Caroline put her phone back in her pocket as she gave a little nod.

Bonnie gave her a little smile. 'I'm sure he's okay...it's just too dangerous for him to call right now, if he's with them.'

Caroline lowered her eyes down, the guilt in her stomach expanding to the rest of her body. Her mind had been on something else...someone else, that she hadn't thought of the possibility that Tyler was in danger.

She shook her head again, disgusted with herself. Elena and Tyler should be her one and only worry right now. That's where her loyalties lay, nowhere else.

'What are you thinking?' The witch asked her quietly.

Caroline sighed heavily. 'My thoughts, are not worth saying, believe me.'

'You really became friends with her, didn't you?...Rebekah,' her friend asked her with a knowing look, 'you're worried about her too...because of the stake.'

The vampire frowned. 'It's not...' She shook her head, yet one more time, her thoughts battling each other. 'All I care about is that Elena returns home safely.'

'It's...it's okay, if you do,' the witch gave her a little smile. 'I can't really say I share your worry for her but...muddy grey, remember?'

Caroline smiled back at Bonnie with a sigh. Leave it to Bonnie to always say the right thing she needed to hear. She hugged her friend tightly.

With a deep breath she took her decision. The moment, Elena was safe, she would call Klaus and tell him everything. Her friends would probably get angry at her, hell! Klaus would probably get angry at her too, telling her it was too little too late...and he'd probably be right, but there was really no other option for her at the moment.

'It's time to go,' Caroline heard Stefan's voice say and both girls walked to the living area again.

'I'll leave right after you.' Damon was telling him. 'From the bedroom window...I won't be seen.'

'I'm coming too.' Caroline announced.

Damon snorted loudly at her, 'You will do absolutely no such thing.'

'I can be freaking Spiderman too,' the blond girl's lips twitched, '...Spiderwoman anyway.'

Damon rolled his eyes.

'You could need me.' Her eyes opened wide on Stefan, who after a moment nodded.

'You would come anyway.' He said with a little sigh knowing her stubborn streak too well.

He then picked the bag with the white oak stake in it and walked to the door. He gave one last reassuring smile to Jeremy and his hand went for the knob.

A knock...more like something hitting against the door, came from outside.

Stefan opened the door and Elena practically fell in his arms.

'Elena!' Everyone called out her name as they circled around Stefan who was hugging her to him with all his might, even as his eyes were looking straight ahead.

Caroline and she knew the others too, where all staring at the one thousand year old hybrid who was calmly looking back at them from the Gilbert's porch.

**I'll be leaving for a short trip abroad for a few days. Most probably you won't even notice my absence but just in case the next chapter arrives a bit later than usual...you know why!**


	25. Chapter 25

**I'm back...and it's to find that over 200 persons are following my story! Thank you so much and I hope you'll keep on liking the remaining chapters!**

Chapter 25.

'What the hell did you do to her?' Jeremy's voice growled angrily at Klaus, who simply snickered.

'No, no...' Elena's voice was weak. Her long hair was all over her face, hidden in Stefan's neck, as he picked her up and carried her to the couch. 'He got me out of there.'

The gasps around the room where so loud to be almost comical and in fact Klaus' smile grew wider.

His eyes lowered down to the bag with the white oak stake in it. Stefan had let it go to catch Elena in his arms, but it was still inside the house and he knew he couldn't come in. Then Klaus eyes strayed to Caroline who was the only one who hadn't followed Stefan to the couch with Elena. Her lips were parted, surprise and confusion written all over her face. He turned and went down the steps that led away from the house.

'Wait! How...what happened?!' Without realizing it, Caroline's feet had followed him out to the darkened street, stopping in the middle of the front stairs.

He looked up at her with a small smile, 'You look good, Caroline.'

She sighed as she returned his smile and drank in his sight. Her heart skipped a beat as she suddenly realized just how very much she had missed him. She had forbidden herself to dwell on thoughts about him, always hurriedly pushing them away from her mind before they could almost form, shying from the strange feelings such thoughts always carried with them, that now she just stared at him, and her chest expanded in a long, deep breath that her body had seemed unable to take for days.

He stared right back, his blue eyes unblinking, the small smile still on his lips.

'You didn't answer me.' She finally said.

'Right time, right place, I guess.'

She frowned. 'I don't understand...'

'I was...in the vicinity of the camp...and when I realized what was going on...' he stopped as he looked at someone behind her, and his tone seemed to change. 'I decided to thwart whatever plan they had...but honestly the look on your faces is the best gain out of this.'

She frowned, still confused. 'You could have asked for the stake, why didn't you?'

He gave a little shrug. 'I have it on good source, none of you will be using it on me anytime soon, so I think I'll let you hang on to it, for a little while longer.'

'So we're supposed to believe you did this out of the goodness of your heart?' Damon asked from behind Caroline. 'Wait...you don't have one, so that's surely impossible.'

Caroline winced. She had once told him the same thing but hearing someone else tell him that, made her...

'How is she?' She asked Damon.

Damon's eyes stayed on Klaus. 'She's feeding.'

Klaus lips curled up slightly. 'You hate knowing you owe me one, don't you?'

'I say you already want something in return so why don't you just come out with it.'

The hybrid pouted his lips. 'I think I'll let you enjoy your reunion with your...your brother's girlfriend.' Then his gaze went back to Caroline. 'As always...it was good seeing you, sweetheart.' He said before getting in his car and driving away.

Caroline watched the vehicle till it got out of sight.

'What do you think is his plan?'

She frowned at Damon. 'How should I know?'

'If anyone would know, that would be you.'

She turned to stare directly at him. 'What's that supposed to mean?'

Damon smirked and rolled his eyes. 'Oh come on, Caroline, playing the dumb blond doesn't suit you...not anymore.'

'Seriously?! Why are you even talking to me?'

'It's very obvious that he's still crazy about you, and you...'

'I love Tyler.'

'Good for you,' he raised his eyebrows at her, 'but still you lived with Klaus for weeks, he has got to have some plan...what did he gain by saving Elena, it's not her blood anymore, and he could have had the white oak stake and he didn't, so it has to be something else.'

'You heard him...you now owe him one.' Honestly, she was confused as much as Damon with Klaus' actions today.

'Since when does he care about that...whatever he wants he gets,' the older vampire snapped at her, then tilted his head, 'well except you, I guess...'

Caroline chuckled. 'So what...you think he saved Elena to look good in my eyes, that's ridiculous!'

'Is it?' His clear blue eyes looked unwavering in hers.

Bonnie called them from the doorway. 'Come inside guys, Elena wants to talk to us.'

Damon shook his head and snorted. 'What part of the word 'rest' didn't she understand?' He grumbled as he went in.

Caroline stayed rooted where she was. Damon was wrong, Klaus hadn't saved Elena for her, why would he? It was absurd to even think...

The night of the picnic and her words about how important Elena was to all of them and to her especially, returned to her mind.

'No,' She shook her head with a snort, 'it's just not possible.'

When Caroline went back in, everyone was around Elena who was still on the couch, her hand in Stefan's. Caroline noticed that her wrists were still very red and bruised, even the corners of her mouth and cheeks. She grimaced in pain, knowing they had used rope with vervain to keep her tied up.

'So, since you obviously don't want to rest...tell us what happened.' Damon sat across from them, looking straight in Elena's eyes.

'Stop treating me like a china doll...I never was, much less now.' She answered with a deep frown.

Damon's answer was just a roll of his ice blue eyes.

'I woke up in a tent, tied up with rope that burned my skin whenever I moved...and I had this nice puppy at my feet, which looked really happy to see me...'

Caroline gave in to a little smile. Elena was obviously seeing all their tensed face and was down playing the whole thing. She must have been terrified, _I know I would be_. Caroline thought with a shudder.

'I heard him make the call to you, and then hours passed before they came for me...I thought they were doing the exchange with you,' she continued, squeezing Stefan's hand, 'they got me out, still tied and suddenly Klaus was there, holding his fangs to this...boy's throat and saying he was ready to exchange him for me.'

'Oh my God, he gave them his wolf?!' Caroline exclaimed. 'His prisoner...I told you about him, he needed him to try to do another spell like Bonnie's!' She looked at all the others.

'So he gave him up for you?' The witch asked Elena.

Elena's face had confusion written all over it as she pushed her hair away. 'I don't know why but yeah...I mean their leader, he didn't even think about it, he immediately said yes... and then everything happened so quickly...Klaus shoved this guy at them and suddenly grabbed me and we practically flew away from there.'

'Didn't he say something while he was bringing you here?' Her boyfriend asked, the same bewildered look on his face.

Elena shook her head, 'I asked him if he had made some deal with you, cause I couldn't understand why _he_ was there...and he said no...then I asked him want he wanted and he said, "for you to shut up"...and I did.'

'What the hell has he got in mind?' Damon asked, before turning his eyes on Caroline. All other's eyes turned on her too.

Caroline frowned and licked her lips nervously. 'Why is everyone looking at me?!...I have no idea what's going on in his head!'

'Well, I already told you what I think.' Damon smirked at her.

Caroline rolled her eyes at him. 'Well, cut that crap...it's not true...he didn't save Elena for me!'

'Everyone knows he's got the hots for you...maybe this is some new way of his to...'

'Stop it, okay, just stop it!' Caroline almost screamed at the vampire. 'Stefan! Bonnie, just tell him how ridiculously, out of this world, that is!' She looked at all her friends faces one by one but no one seemed in a hurry to contradict Damon.

'You said it yourself...he needed that wolf and he gave him up.' Jeremy had this weird look on his face.

There was a loud knock on the door before suddenly Tyler came in.

'Thank God!' His girl friend exclaimed, for many reasons, the utmost being that he was safe as she ran to hug him fiercely.

'How's Elena?' He asked as he hugged her back.

Elena answered for herself. 'I'm...fine.'

'Listen I don't have much time...I told Tony I needed to check that Klaus had brought Elena home.'

Caroline gasped out loud. 'What? You told him you were coming here?!'

'I also told him very clearly what I thought of this kidnapping!'

'Did you know they were going to take her? What they did to her?' Damon and Stefan were suddenly up on their feet, glaring at the hybrid.

'Of course not! I didn't even know she was in the camp, until they brought her out of that tent!...I would never have let them hurt you, Elena.' He said, looking at the girl on the couch. 'The pack is getting very impatient and they almost forced Tony to act. They just want the Michaelsons' dead, like us.'

'And they're ready to do it, no matter what it takes. How can you be their friend?' Matt frowned at the hybrid.

'He's not their friend.' Caroline informed Matt with an angry glare.

Tyler sighed loudly. 'It's not that simple. I happen to believe that they are right...even if I don't agree with their methods.'

Caroline frowned heavily and taking Tyler's hand moved him a few steps away.

'Did she tell you what happened?' He asked her.

'Yes, Klaus exchanged his wolf for her.'

Tyler shook his head. 'Poor Jonathan...'

'Why? He's back with his friends now.'

'Do you have any idea what that monster did to him? He's got a broken leg, broken ribs, jaw...and that's not the worse, he's been compelled so bad, he barely remembers his own name!'

'Oh my God!'

'Yeah, they're taking care of him but...I don't know...I mean his body will heal but...his mind, it's like he's not...in there anymore.' He shook his head again. 'So what did Klaus want in exchange for Elena?'

'Nothing.'

'What?'

'Nothing...' She repeated, 'For now, he said we owe him one.'

'So you still got the stake?' He moved towards the Salvatores again.

Damon frowned. 'You sound almost disappointed.'

'No, it's just that...I had this crazy idea that...that we could work with the pack...but I realize it's too late now...after what they just did.'

Stefan snorted. 'Work with them? They wanted the stake to kill Klaus.'

'Which is why I wanted to work with them, make some sort of deal to just, I don't know, stop his heart and kill the rest of his family.'

Caroline gasped loudly next to him. Just the idea made her insides twist. 'Because that went so well, last time!'

'Strength in numbers. We could do it...all together.' Tyler insisted.

Elena got up and looked at Tyler. 'Well, excuse me if I don't feel like making deals with someone who just had me tied up in ropes drenched in vervain and had a werewolf dripping saliva on my foot.'

'You're right! You're right. I'm sorry...as I said...it's too late.' Tyler sighed. 'I have to go now.'

'Already...will you come by later?' Caroline's eyes were sad as she looked at him. 'I've barely seen you since I came home.'

'I know. But with what happened today, more than ever I need to keep an eye on them... maybe, I'll try.'

Caroline returned home soon after Tyler left, leaving Elena to get the rest she needed. She prepared for bed and with a sigh entered between the sheets. She fell asleep looking at the window...

A hand pressed hard against her mouth and her eyes opened up wide, filled with panic, her arms flailing around her.

'What the hell, Caroline?!' Klaus' voice hissed next to her ear as he released her mouth slowly, his fingers brushing against her lips.

Her body trembling from total shock she put herself in a sitting position in the bed, where she had been peacefully sleeping up until ten seconds before and pushed him away.

'Klaus!?' She shouted as he got up from the bed and glared at her. 'Seriously?! What the hell TO ME?! When you just scared the shit out of me?!'

'You're lucky, a scare is all that happened to you! What the hell are you doing with your window open?! Your best friend just got kidnapped...are you out of your mind?!'

She put her hand on her heaving chest to calm herself, her breath coming out in puffs.

He shook his head in disbelieve when she didn't answer. 'It's seems I did right to leave you the white oak stake...with this behavior, you'll soon find yourself making another trade with the pack ...you're practically saying "come and get me".'

'I'm waiting for Tyler.' She said as she rolled her eyes at his tirade and throwing the sheets of her, got out of the bed. She stared at him as his words filtered through. Was that why he didn't exchange the stake with Elena, when he could have? To leave them, _her, _a bargaining chip in case they needed it?

'I'm pretty sure he is not Romeo, so he can bloody well use the front door.'

Both her arms went out to point at him. 'Hello?!'

He snorted. 'I came through the window as a precaution, in case any wolves are around, I don't want them to have any reason to link us together...of course I never thought I would find the window OPEN!'

She sighed even as her mind processed the caution he took to keep her safe, even when they were no longer spelled together. 'It's the same reasoning Tyler has.'

'You're his girlfriend.' He hissed.

'He told them we broke up.'

'You did?'

'Of course not!' She denied. 'It's to make Tony trust...why the hell am I explaining these things to you? Why are you even here?'

With a smirk, he took out his phone. 'I thought you would like to explain this?' He switched a couple of buttons and then she heard her own voice grumbling on his voice mail.

She closed her eyes and winced her lips. 'I didn't realize it was already recording.'

'Well? Why are you swearing on my phone?' He asked, a little more calm.

She took a deep breath and seated herself on the bed again._ Might as well tell him the truth. _'I was going to give you a head's up about...us giving the stake to the pack but...but then I changed my mind.' She admitted.

His eye brows raised up. 'Why?'

'Cause Elena's life was on the line and...' She lowered her eyes to the coverlet.

'And you didn't trust what I would do with that information.' He finished for her.

'Yes.' She replied looking in his eyes as he rested with his back against her wardrobe. 'Put yourself in my shoes...can you blame me...really?'

He looked at her for a long moment. His face in shadows as he studied her. She couldn't read the look in his eyes. 'I guess not.' He said quietly, '...and yet I saved her.'

'Yeah, you did.' She said with a sigh as she gave him a little smile. 'Why?'

'I told you.' He replied his face still hidden in the dark shadows of the room.

She narrowed her eyes on him. 'You didn't ask for anything in return...the stake...and you lost your wolf...' She said softly.

'I kept some of his blood...a lot actually,' he amended, 'and if that doesn't work, I'll get me another wolf...seemed worth losing him instead of whatever you were going to give the pack.'

'Tyler told me they're not sure if he's gonna be okay again.'

His teeth glistened white in the shadows. 'Oh, dear.' He said, then noticed her gaze. 'What? They are all going to die anyway.'

She sighed and lowered her eyes again. She just couldn't find it in her to be glad that so many had to die.

'You know, love, you have this damning ability of looking...wrong.' He snarled between his teeth.

'Whatever do you mean?'

He took out a loud breath. 'That you're carrying the same expression you had before you left my house...like you're disappointed by getting what you want. Your best friend is back home why aren't you more happy about it...dare I say it, even a little thankful.'

'You're right.' She smiled wider at him. 'And I am. Thankful to you. You saved Elena and I do thank you, from the bottom of my heart for bringing her back to us safe and sound.'

'You're welcome.' He said, his gaze on her as he moved away from the wardrobe and went closer to her.

He was mere inches away from her and suddenly she seemed to realize that they were in her room, alone at night and she was only wearing an old T-shirt and her underwear. It had happened before when she was staying in his house but here, it felt strange.

His eyes lingered on her face, studying her features, like he was memorizing her. 'How have you been?'

'Fine...' She replied quietly, the look in his eyes making her insides flutter. 'You?'

The question seemed to take him by surprise as he just stared at her with a strange look in his eyes, then his lips twirled up slightly at the sides. 'Right now...I couldn't be better.'

The meaning of his words were plain as day and her lips parted slightly in surprise. His gaze strayed to her lips and stayed there, making her lick them nervously.

His head shifted slightly, closer to hers and her spine straightened. She could feel her heart galloping inside her chest and fisting her hands she took a step back.

'I think you should go now. Tyler wouldn't like finding you here...' She said under her breath, 'and I don't think you should be here either so...'

His eyes stood fixed on her for another moment before he gave his head a little shake as if to clear it and then turning away. 'Lock this damn window after me.' He said as he went to it.

She smiled at his back. His concern made her feel warm all over. 'Will do.'

'And don't be afraid to leave a longer message, next time.' He added as he went out the window. 'Sleep well, love.' He whispered before jumping down.

She locked the window, seeing that he had stayed underneath it to watch her do it.

She climbed back in bed with a sigh. A smile, slowly spread on her lips in the dark. Could it be that her friends were right? Could it really be that the original hybrid, the dark, cold Niklaus Michaelson had saved Elena...for her?! A tremor went through her whole body as she thought that it could be real! That he had saved her best friend just because she had told him how much she meant to her! No other explanation made sense.

Could he really be trying to win her over like this? By doing something he stood to gain nothing from except that it was something good for her? She bit her lower lip and then slowly shook her head on the pillow.

It didn't matter. She was thankful for it but it didn't mean that she would ever...she loved Tyler...

Even so, the smile refused to die and she fell asleep with it still stamped on her face.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

'Guys...hello? Bon? Elena?' Caroline put her head up from the cubicle swivel doors where she had been trying on the third dress and there was no one around.

She exhaled a loud breath. 'I thought we came together to help each other dress!' She exclaimed as she got out, holding the front of the strapless floor length mauve dress to her. The long zip on the back had somehow got stuck and she couldn't get it up past her bottom. She had worried that if she used much more strength to free it she was going to tore the whole thing.

'Bonnie?' She called her friend again. And not even a sales girl in sight when you really needed one.

Someone cleared his throat quietly behind her and she stilled. It wasn't possible!

'May I?' Klaus soft voice was right in her ear and his fingers were on the zip before she had even turned her head to look at him.

She gasped as she clutched the dress tighter to her. 'What are you doing here?! Are...are you following me?!'

His fingers stopped working on the zip for a moment to look directly in her eyes with eye brows raised and she felt stupid. 'Well, what...what are the odds of you being here...in a women's boutique?' _And seeing you again so soon after you being in my room just two nights ago? _She added only to herself. She took a step forward to make him release his hold on the dress but he was faster.

'Done.' He said as he started pulling the zip up, one finger purposely left inside the dress to softly move its way up with the zip, brushing softly against her spine, up to between her shoulder blades where the dress ended. Her eyes closed involuntarily. Even without the spell, his touch still made her skin come alive with the softest touch.

'And I wish I was here for something as fun as following you but...'

She turned to look at him and the stern look on her face made him chuckle.

'My darling sister dragged me here.' He finished with a heavy sigh as he sat down on the plush couch in the middle of the shop.

'Enough complaining...I told you I need a male's opinion for this...Caroline?' Rebekah came out from one of the other cubicles wearing a black dress with tight laced sleeves.

Caroline looked at the dress and then at the girl. 'Hi Rebekah.'

It was then that she noticed that there was another girl with her. The girl gave her a little wave from behind Rebekah.

'Hi, April.' Caroline smiled at her. 'It seems we all had the same idea.'

April smiled back. 'Yeah, I guess it's never too early to shop for prom dresses.'

'Not if you want to be the_ belle _of the ball.' Rebekah said as she eyed Caroline's mauve one. 'That colour looks good on you.' She kept nodding her head at it and Caroline shook her head as with a small smile she mentally crossed it out of a possible choice.

'Love the lace.' Caroline replied.

Rebekah eyes narrowed on her, then with one finger pointed at a yellow frilled gown, 'Get me that one.' She ordered April, who hurried to do as bidden. The original girl took it and went back into the cubicle.

'Just tell her you hate it the moment she comes out, and she'll take it, thus freeing me from this torture.' Klaus sighed as he looked at Caroline with pleading eyes.

Muffled laughter was suddenly heard from the third cubicle and Bonnie and Elena came out laughing, holding a bottle green dress between them.

'This is some kind of trap!' Elena exclaimed, her eyes shining with glee. 'I couldn't get Bonnie out of it.' She told Caroline.

'And I couldn't get in this one.' Caroline shook her head at them, even as she smiled back.

Bonnie looked at her, 'You can take it off again cause ewww.' Then she seemed to realize that Elena had grown still next to her and following Elena's gaze her eyes widened. 'Klaus.'

'What are you doing here?' Elena repeated Caroline's question with a deep frown at him.

Klaus smirked. 'Yes, it's a pleasure to see you too Elena...and in better health shape.'

Caroline frowned back at her friend. 'He's with Rebekah, who is here for our same reason ...with April.'

'You're here with Rebekah?' Elena now asked April as she went closer to her.

April nodded as she walked away a few steps, 'We became friends at school,' she said as her eyes studied the dresses on the racks. 'You'd look good in this.' She pointed to a red one for Elena. 'And you should try something blue Caroline, I think that colour is good for you.'

'And you'd be right. She looks beautiful in blue.' Klaus said still on the couch, his eyes on Caroline.

She knew he was referring to the dress he had given her the night of his family's ball but she didn't comment to his words. Elena rolled her eyes and Bonnie couldn't help give her a knowing look.

'Hasn't he got the cutest dimples you've ever seen?!' April suddenly whispered softly, giving a darting look to Klaus before looking away again.

'I think I'm gonna vomit.' Elena rolled her eyes even harder while Caroline suddenly frowned at April.

Bonnie lowered her voice. 'He's dangerous.' She warned the younger girl. 'Believe me.'

April's eyes widened, 'A little danger can be fun.' She replied biting her lower lip.

'No, she means stay away from him.' Caroline gave her a frosty look and the words came out vehemently, cold and she felt Bonnie's eyes dart to her. The blond vampire ignored her gaze and kept her eyes on April.

April sighed. 'I know he's older than me...'

'You don't know how true that is,' Elena scoffed, 'and really he's...he's...God, words fail me!'

Caroline looked at her friend. 'You know he's probably listening to every word we're saying.' Elena shrugged her shoulders and April frowned. 'What? No way! I can barely hear myself.'

Bonnie took out a midnight blue dress out. 'Why don't you try this one, April?'

'Or better why don't you go home?' Elena told her, tilting her head slightly.

'What? No...I'm going to Rebekah's house to watch a movie together.'

_So, I've already been replaced. _The thought formed in Caroline's head before she even knew it and she frowned inwardly. What did she care with whom the Michaelsons spent their evenings? She was home with her friends, that's all she cared about.

'No, I _mean_, why don't you go home?' Elena repeated her words this time looking directly in April's eyes. April stilled and after a second, nodded and suddenly walked out of the boutique. Caroline saw Klaus' gaze following the girl's exit and then his lips curled up in a small smile as he gave Caroline a sideway look.

'What the hell are you doing?' Caroline hissed at her friend, whipping her head away from Klaus.

Elena raised her eye brows at her. 'I'm helping her...you really want her in that house with them?'

'She and Rebekah are friends, she wouldn't hurt her.'

Elena scoffed loudly. 'Yeah. Right. And what about him? You want her in that house with him?'

_No. _The answer came clearly in her head but she thought it wasn't for the reason Elena had asked. What the hell was wrong with her?

Caroline took the red dress down and gave it to Elena. 'Why don't you go try this one on.'

'What's your problem, Caroline?' Elena asked her as she put a strand of her long hair behind her shoulder.

Caroline took a deep breath and Bonnie seemed to suddenly notice the tension between her two friends. 'Hey...'

'I don't have any problems.' The blond girl replied before glancing towards Klaus once more. He had gotten up from the couch and had moved away to speak on his phone. 'It's just that ...he did help you, you know?'

Elena's eyes widened hugely on her.

'So what?!' Elena hissed at her, 'I should forget the rest of what he's done...or what his sister has done to me?'

'No! Of course not!' Caroline immediately agreed, 'It's just that-'

'You know what?' Bonnie interrupted Caroline and took Elena's hand. 'I think April was right... you should totally try this one on.' Taking the red dress she dragged Elena who was still frowning at Caroline, to the changing cubicle. Bonnie's eyes stayed on Caroline too. Her look wasn't angry but more like confused. She gave her a small shake of her head before disappearing inside with Elena.

'Could you help me out of...' Caroline sighed heavily as she realized she was talking to herself. What had possessed her to say something like that to Elena? Had she really defended Klaus?

Someone's hands was on the zip again and she turned abruptly, only to find Rebekah. 'I thought you said you needed help?'

'Yes, thank you.' She smiled at the other girl, who after taking the zip halfway down turned to look around her. 'Where the hell is April?...Nik?' She was dressed in her own clothes again and held the yellow dress on her arm.

Caroline bit her lower lip as she waited for Klaus to answer, her mind already thinking of the fight this would certainly start with Elena.

Klaus looked at Caroline for a brief moment. 'She mumbled something about studying...but what the hell do I know?'

'Well, that's just rude.' His sister commented with a frown.

A smile of thanks appeared on Caroline's lips as her eyes met Klaus' once more.

'Are you ready to leave now?' He asked his sister impatiently.

Rebekah nodded, 'I just need to tell the girl about a small alteration and I'm ready.'

'You found the right dress...that's great!' Caroline beamed at the original girl.

Rebekah smiled back. 'Thank you and you really should...' Suddenly she stopped and twitched her nose. 'No...anything but that.'

Caroline giggled and Rebekah's lips tilted up in a smile too as she moved to talk to the sales girl behind the counter.

'I would dance with you...whatever you wear.' Klaus said softly suddenly by her side.

Caroline just looked at him and turned to go back in the changing room.

'So will you...reserve me a dance at your prom?' He persisted staying by her side.

Her eye brows raised. 'You're gonna be at our prom?'

'If you promise me a dance, I will.' His blue eyes gazed softly at her.

Her eyes narrowed on him for a moment. 'Well, why not? Stranger things have happened.'

'But few more pleasurable.' He whispered, his eyes on her lips.

Lowering her eyes to hide her confusion she hurried back in the cubicle letting the doors swing hard behind her.

Her eyes caught her image in the long mirror and she shook her head at herself. Rosy cheeks and bright eyes. She shouldn't let him have this effect on her. And friendship was still all she could offer him so she should be more wary of the way she behaved around him. She couldn't risk another mistake like last time.

Sometimes she even thought of telling Tyler about that kiss but she knew that things were too tense right now to add more to it. Maybe one day, when it would be obvious how little that kiss had meant to her, she would tell him. So no, not now.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26.

'I thought we came here to have fun!' Elena frowned as she looked at all her friends around the table at the Grill. 'So why is no one having fun?'

'This is fun.' Damon replied as he gulped down his shot.

Elena turned her head to the other side and looked at her boyfriend, 'Make me dance, please.'

'Can I finish this first?' Stefan asked her, looking at his beer.

'You know what...I can very well dance on my own.' Making a face at him, Elena got up from the table and walked away.

Damon sighed and got up. 'I got this, brother.'

Stefan nodded and kept drinking as Damon followed Elena.

'You're not being very subtle, you know? You and Damon, are practically her bodyguards 24/7.' Bonnie told the vampire.

Caroline smirked. 'Yeah, I'm surprised you let her go shopping with us yesterday.'

'She didn't let me come along.' He confessed, then looked from one girl to the other. 'Anyway, there's nothing wrong with using a little...carefulness.'

The blond vampire lowered her voice. 'They won't try for the stake again...Tyler told them Klaus has it now.'

'Still...' Stefan raised his eyebrows, as he took a sip from his bottle. 'And whenever I think of it, it still surprises me that Klaus didn't ask for it when he could.' His eyes went to meet Caroline's.

'Seriously? Again?' Caroline looked from him to Bonnie who was wearing his same expression.

'You have to admit it's really strange.' Bonnie winced her lips. 'I mean this is Klaus.'

'Ugh...eighties ballads, who the hell chose this song?' Elena was suddenly back in her chair.

Stefan put his chin out. 'Don't hate on my eighties...Bon Jovi remember?'

'Who could ever forget with you?' Damon rolled his eyes at his brother and the three girls couldn't help giggle. Caroline gave Stefan a sheepish look at the hurt look in his eyes.

_"...this feeling inside of me, _

_is more than some fantasy,_

_it's bigger than you and me..."_

'May I have the honor of this dance, Caroline?' Klaus suddenly appeared in front of her, standing behind Elena and Stefan. Her eyes widened large in her face, by his unexpected presence.

'No one talks like that anymore, pal.' Damon smirked at the hybrid.

'Well, they should.' Klaus replied, even as his eyes never left Caroline's face. 'In fact it wouldn't hurt you to have a little more manners.'

'Don't need it. Not with this.' Damon retorted back drawing an imaginary circle in front of his own face.

Stefan shook his head a couple of times while the girls all rolled their eyes.

'Didn't help you with-'

'Okay! A dance it is!' Caroline got on her feet abruptly interrupting what he was obviously going to say.

Damon's lips stretched against his teeth but he didn't say anything else.

'You don't have to, Caroline.' Elena looked at her, with a deep frown on her face.

Klaus looked down with narrowed eyes on the long dark haired girl.

Caroline looked back at her friend. 'I know.'

With a small smile Klaus moved away to wait for her to reach him.

'Care?' Bonnie's eyes were wide on her, looking at her like she was seeing her for the first time. 'What are you doing?'

'Well, maybe finally I'll get that answer you all keep asking about.' And with that she left the table and went to Klaus.

'Your doing?' She asked pointing at the air, referring to the slow song being played.

He only smiled slightly and took out his hand to her. After a small hesitation she put her own in his and went into his arms.

'Why do you always try to antagonize people?'

His lips widened in a smile. 'Cause it's fun.'

She rolled her eyes and sighed.

His arm encircled her waist while his other hand held hers between their bodies.

Her heart started to hammer furiously at being this close to him again. Maybe this hadn't been a good idea but she hadn't been able to resist the look in his eyes and she had wanted absolutely to avoid a confrontation with the others.

"_You're reaching out with your eyes,_

_got me so hypnotized...'_

'So...' She forced herself to stay focused on things she should ask him. 'Any news about the witch yet?'

He took a deep breath in, his cheek almost touching the side of her head. 'We're getting close.'

'Really?' She asked him looking in his eyes.

He nodded.

'Elijah?' She asked again.

'Yes...Is this why you accepted to dance with me? To interrogate me?' His eyes narrowed but his gaze wasn't angry.

'Would you mind very much if I did?'

He chuckled and shook his head, 'You really...do know me, don't you?'

She didn't know how to answer that question, so she lowered her eyes and thought about asking him again why he had helped Elena.

'I miss you.' He whispered softly in her ear.

'What?' Her heart did a somersault at his words.

'The house...lacks your presence somehow,' his eyes looked warmly in hers, 'you know, no radio alarms at 4.30 in the morning, or doors slammed and fights...no spiders.'

She gave him a small smile and looked over his shoulder as she admitted, 'Now that I'm not confined in it anymore, I guess...I can see some good in it too.'

She gave a small chuckle at the expression on his face.

'Watching TV with you and your sister was...really something and...I think I miss your library, and even more your kitchen, there's no comparison when it comes to midnight snacks with my mom's.' _And I miss you too._

His hand tightened on hers for a brief moment and his cheek brushed against her hair once more.

In that moment Caroline's eyes met Elena's from across the restaurant. The disapproval in her friend's eyes was impossible to miss.

The blond vampire lowered her eyes and she felt herself stiffen in Klaus' arms.

Even with his back to her friend's table, he seemed to know exactly what was going on, cause he whispered in her ear. 'Your gang can't stand the idea of us being...friends, can they?'

'I thought you didn't want to be my friend?' She asked him with a sideways look.

His lips twirled up on one side, 'I guess...I'll take what I can with you.'

'Meaning?'

He sighed as he looked at her. 'Meaning, that I don't really see us having long chats on the phone or meeting for coffees but...' He gave a little shrug as if it didn't matter anyway.

She shook her head at him. 'I'll let you know people like me...I'm a good friend.'

He chuckled under his breath. 'I know. I like you too and believe me, I don't say that of many people.'

She tilted her head sideways. 'I'm pretty sure there are even less that say it of you.'

He chuckled again and shrugged, 'What do I care if people don't like me? Being feared is so much better.'

She just rolled her eyes heavily again at him.  
She sighed 'Ok so...maybe...we wouldn't be the conventional friends...but wouldn't it be great...for everyone...if we got along better?' She was the one to press his hand now and give him a small smile. 'I think we got...the hang of it while I was living in your house...and you helped Elena...we could try...'

He looked at her with a small frown on his brow and then his hand went up and his fingers touched a soft strand of hair escaping her ponytail.

She moved her head slightly away while raising her eyebrows in question at him.

'I prefer your hair when it's down.' He admitted quietly as he lowered his hand.

When her eyebrows went even higher, he chuckled. 'Don't friends say things like that to each other?'

Her shoulders sagged a little and she pouted at him.

He chuckled again as his hand went up to graze her forearm this time, his fingers touching her from elbow to wrist leaving goose bumps behind them, even without the now gone tingling feeling.

'Stop it! What are you doing?' She asked angrily trying to hide the tremor in her voice.

'I can't seem to help myself.' He replied

She took a step away from him. 'Then this dance ends now.'

'Ok...I'll behave.' He gave her a look that not even a week year old puppy was capable of and she could feel her anger leaving her.

For the next few minutes they said nothing, moving to the slow song, their bodies touching, their hands entwined, it felt like they were in a world of their own.

_"...hold me with all your might, take me on thru the night,_

_make everything just right,_

_it must be time for love..."_

Caroline closed her eyes. The spell was gone and yet she could still feel this strong connection with him. Their bodies seemed to know each other so well, they danced like they were one body. She realised once again she had really missed him, that being once more alone with him, talking to him, made her..._happy_ but there was also a sadness she couldn't understand. A sadness that made her want to hold him closer like she feared this was some kind of last moment they were sharing. And she didn't know why.

His accented voice broke into her thoughts, his mouth close to her ear. 'But tell me what does Tyler have to say about our...friendship?'

She sighed heavily. 'He trusts me. He knows he's got nothing to worry about cause it's him I want to be with.'

She felt his shoulder muscles tense under her hand.

'There you go again.' She frowned. 'Closing yourself off whenever I say something you don't want to hear! That's not the way to be-'

He frowned right back, 'I'm just trying to understand...if you're really that blind...or too scared to admit what's right in front of you.'

She turned large eyes on him, her lips parted. 'Don't start that again! I'm not blind! You're the one who doesn't see!'

'Oh, I see...and I'm not the only one...' Saying that he turned her around to that she was now facing The Grill's door and Tyler stood there looking at them with a stunned, angry, hurt look on his face.

She stilled dead and turned angry eyes on Klaus, 'How long was he there?'

'Enough to see what you won't.' He replied quietly.

'Take your hands off her!' Tyler was suddenly next to them, his face inches away from Klaus.

With a start Caroline tried to move away.

'You? Ordering me?' Klaus hissed back. 'Have you got a death wish?'

'Let me go.' She whispered to the original and he slowly released his arms from around her, letting his fingers linger on her skin till the last possible moment.

Tyler grabbed her hand and moved her closer to him. 'You have no say on her anymore, actually you never did. When will you get it in your head? She doesn't want you! She hates what you are and all you did. You disgust her.'

'Is that what you saw a moment ago...disgust? Are you sure?'

The girl turned angry eyes on Klaus.

For a moment a shadow passed on Tyler's face. 'Stay away from her.' He growled at his sire face.

'Caroline,' The older hybrid calmly looked at her. 'I'm showing a lot of restraint for your sake...'

'He was telling me about the witch...' She ignored Klaus and looked directly at Tyler.

She could feel Klaus's eyes boring angry holes in her cheek but she went on, 'They have a lead on her, I think Elijah is about to find her...'

Just as she thought that caught Tyler's attention. 'Where?'

'He didn't say that.' She replied then slowly stole a glance at Klaus whose jaw had hardened so much she was surprised, his face didn't crack under the pressure.

'You think you're so smart...infiltrating the pack. They're using you.' Klaus spat at Tyler.

'That's not true.'

'Isn't it? Tell me, what useful information has the leader shared with you since they arrived? Nothing, that's what! He sold you that nonsense of you not dying with my blood line because you broke the sire bond, to make you trust him. The witch's name and whereabouts is the most important thing and he's kept that to himself, not even the rest of the pack knows and you think he'll tell you!? He's keeping you close for things you reveal not the other way round.'

Tyler shook his head at him. 'No...'

Klaus snorted loudly interrupting him. 'And I know you wouldn't mind at all, helping them get what they want...but make your choices carefully Tyler, or somebody you care about could pay the price for it.'

'Threatening my mother again?' The young hybrid hissed between his teeth, fisting his hands at his side and Caroline shook her head at Klaus.

'Who told them the Salvatores had the white oak stake?' Klaus asked now.

'You think I would ever...they already knew that!'

Klaus narrowed his eyes on him. 'If I find out...'

'Stop it! We all want the same thing here!' Caroline frowned at him openly, her eyes hurt.

Klaus eyes stayed glued to Tyler's. 'I have my doubts about that.'

'Let's go.' She said to Tyler as she took his hand and made sure he followed her.

She sat down back in her chair at the table with the rest of her friends, as they asked about what had happened. She could see Klaus's eyes flashing angrily at her from the dance floor before finally moving away to the bar. Her legs were trembling as she listened to Tyler's voice talking and she felt like crying. Damn it, when had she become such a mess? And why did everything have to be so damn complicated?!

'Are you sure that's all?' Tyler was asking her. He seemed to be talking about the witch whereabouts but his eyes searched hers for a tense moment. 'And why the hell were you dancing with him?'

Caroline looked down at her glass. 'Trying to find the information everyone wants.'

'Maybe I could call Elijah...see if he'll tell me.' Elena offered.

Caroline sighed. 'Or maybe we should just let the originals handle the witch.'

'And let them kill all the pack too?' Tyler asked her with a frown.

'Klaus wants the witch dead...once she is, her spell dies with her...maybe he'll realise he has no reason to go after the pack as well then.'

Tyler snorted and shook his head at her. 'After they nearly killed him? Are you listening to yourself? This is Klaus we're talking about.'

His girlfriend sighed heavily. She looked at all her friends round the table and they all seemed to share Tyler's look in their eyes.

Suddenly Bonnie got up. 'I need to go to the restroom...come with me, Care?'

The blond vampire nodded and with a small smile to Tyler went after Bonnie.

Bonnie gave her a very knowing look the moment they got in the bar's bathroom.

'Thank you. I really needed to...'

'What the hell is going on with you and Klaus?' Her friend interrupted her.

Caroline sighed. 'The usual. He threatens, he gets angry...'

'That's not what I meant!'

'What are you talking about?'

Bonnie stared in her face for a long moment and then shook her head at her friend. 'Come on, Caroline. You've been avoiding my questions since the night I broke the spell...even yesterday at the boutique, after they left. I tried to talk to you and you kept coming in and out of that changing room like...'

'I was looking for the perfect dress...which I still haven't found!'

'There you go again, changing the subject to avoid answering me!' Bonnie took her hand. 'I can't understand what's going on in your head lately. Your behavior...you do realise you defended Klaus with Elena, don't you? And it wasn't the first time either, you did it even when Elena was kidnapped!'

Caroline shook her head. 'He did help her. You can't ignore it just because you don't like it!'

Bonnie's mouth opened and closed a couple of times as if she didn't know what to say. 'So what are you saying...that you trust him, now?'

Caroline lowered her eyes. 'We all did terrible things, Bonnie.'

'My God!' Bonnie exclaimed, 'You can't be serious?! This is Klaus we're talking about!'

'I know!' Caroline exclaimed back loudly. She was getting really tired of people saying that.

'Has something happened between you two when...'

'Bonnie!' The vampire interrupted her immediately. 'You know, I love Tyler!'

The witch stopped and just looked in her friend's eyes in silence as if she wished she could read her friend's thoughts in there and Caroline looked right back.

Then Bonnie shook her head and sighed heavily. 'I know you, Caroline. I know your good heart. But whatever it is you think you're gonna achieve from this...it won't...happen and you...people will get hurt! What...who Klaus is...that's never gonna change, no matter how much you wish it so.'

Caroline closed her eyes. Her friend's words made her want to cry and she hated it. She hated that she felt like crying so much lately.

'Let's just go back.' She said quietly. She wished she could explain clearly what she hoped for but the truth was that it was all kind of a haze for her too. It looked all so damn hopeless, from both sides!

Bonnie shook her head at her once more, then lowered her eyes but not before Caroline could see the disappointment in them.

The witch left the restroom and Caroline stood for a moment staring at the space where her friend had been. Yes. Totally hopeless.

With a loud sigh she went after Bonnie.

Going to their table she looked around her but Klaus didn't seem to be around anymore. She took a deep breath in, it was for the best. Still her heart twitched with that now familiar uncertain feeling.

'Tyler had to leave...Tony called him.' Elena informed her the moment she sat back down.

Caroline sighed even as she frowned, 'He could have at least waited for me.'

'Seemed urgent.' Stefan added quietly.

The blond girl looked at him. 'Do you think they know the originals are closing on the witch?'

'I really don't know.' The younger Salvatore replied. 'He said he'll call later.'

Elena took a long drink from her glass before adding. 'Elijah is not answering his phone...or at least not my calls.'

'I guess...I'll go home then.' Her blond friend said before finishing her drink in one go.

Caroline got up and said her good nights. Both Elena and Bonnie answered back but she sensed a silent, almost cold vibe from them that really made her insides, knot inside.

The males seemed to sense something too cause Damon said nothing while Stefan gave her a small smile and returned her good night.

She left the Grill and went to her car. There had to be a way in which she could make everything work...right? As hard and difficult as it felt, she just couldn't let it go.

So it was almost no surprise that when she started her car, the direction she took was not for her own home but for the one where she had lived in the last few weeks.

Less than ten minutes later she stopped her car in front of the Michaelson's mansion. Not allowing herself to think, she got out of her vehicle and walked to the front door.

For a moment she stopped and looked at the house. At the French windows on the side from where she had spent hours looking from. She put a hand to her mouth in disbelief as she realised just how much she had missed this house. She shook her head at herself. Lately, her thoughts didn't make sense. How could she miss this house after she had wished to leave it for so long?

For some reason the thought made her falter in her steps and ask herself if coming here had been the right thing to do.

She started to turn away, and then the front door opened and Klaus stood looking at her, the light coming from behind him, threw his face in shadows. She still saw the corners of his lips move slightly upwards and his eyes shined brightly with a strong emotion as he looked at her.

**The lyrics are from the song, 'Time for love' by Air Supply.**


	27. Chapter 27

**So, I unexpectedly had a day off today so I finished this chapter and I'm already working on the next one. So hopefully, it should be up by the weekend!**

**Hope you like it!**

Chapter 27.

'You're an ass.' She told him as she crossed the threshold. Anger always seemed to be her best ally when she had to confront him.

He closed the door behind her. 'Excuse me?' He didn't walk in so she had to stay there too in the small space he left between him and the door.

'Why do you insist on acting in this hateful way?!' She tied her arms across and glared at him.

He snorted. 'Tyler was the aggressive one. What did you expect from me? To turn the proverbial other cheek?!'

'I expect you to...to try...to compromise.'

'Compromise? Are you serious?' He guffawed.

'It's not easy but I'm doing it! I go out of my way to try to make things better so that we...' She stopped talking and frowned at him as he just shook his head at her.

'Why, Caroline?' He looked straight into her eyes. 'Why are you trying so hard?'

She gave him a small frown, 'You know why! I told you why! Cause I want us to try to be friends but that's never gonna happen if...why do you keep shaking your head at me?!'

'Because we're not friends, love. We'll never be...there's so much more between us and you know it.'

Her mouth twisted sourly. 'You said you wanted this too.'

'No, I never said that.' He denied, 'I said I'll take whatever I can with you so I'm even trying to play by your rules here but that doesn't mean that I like them...you know what I_ really _want.' His eyes stared in hers and the meaning in them was unmistakable.

Her mouth opened but no words came out. Just the look in his eyes were making her breathing quicken.

'Then...then coming here was a mistake.' She whispered softly as she took a step backwards and her back touched against the door.

'No. It wasn't.' His body shifted closer. 'Maybe the mistake was mine, in giving you time, space, too much of it...waiting for you to realize...when...maybe what you need is to be made...into taking a look inside yourself and _see_ what you really want.'

'I already know that...and I told you...'

'Why are you here, Caroline?' He asked her suddenly. 'Really?'

She frowned. 'To talk about what happened tonight, because you can't...'

'No.' His knuckles brushed against her cheek. 'You're here because you can't stay away from me, anymore than I can stay away from you.' He said quietly with his deep voice.

'No...' She shook her head at him. 'You're...you're wrong.'_ He was. That was not why she came here!_

'No. I'm not.' He moved closer still, not touching her yet but his body a hair's breath away from hers blocked her against the door and his hands went palms up on the wood on both sides of her head. She turned her eyes on him and she could easily read the intention in his.

He moved his head slightly, his stubble grazing her cheek and he inhaled deeply.

'You're just scared...scared of what it would mean to finally let yourself go...but aren't you ever tired of it all? Tired of behaving the way your friends expect you to...'

She closed her eyes and tried to calm her erratic heartbeat. 'That's not...not what I do.'

'I've been so...so very patient with you, always...always waiting...but now I'm almost to my limit...' His mouth was next to her ear. 'What will it take to make you see?'

'And what will it take for you to understand that-'

'Enough!' He growled in her ear. 'Enough lies, Caroline. Just let yourself do what you really want to...let yourself admit why you came here tonight.'

His fingers went to the clip holding her ponytail and with a click he released it, letting her hair fall like a soft cloud around her face.

She pressed against the door and she told her legs to move but they seemed rooted to the floor where she stood. His cheek against hers, and his breath stirring her hair was making her lungs fight to inhale breath.

She gave her head another shake and he silenced her. 'Shh...' His forefinger softly touched her lips. 'No more words.'

Her eyes widened, looking straight into his. 'I know you would never hurt me.' She whispered.

'Hurt? Oh, love, there will be nothing but pleasure, believe me.' He nuzzled her cheek and slowly moved towards her neck, while his hand on the other side of her slowly splayed deep in her hair.

He placed one soft kiss on her neck and she closed her eyes. 'Stop.' She said even as she fisted her hands on her sides to stop herself from touching him.

He moved his lips up again until they touched the corner of her own, making her gasp. She could fight him with everything she had when he was being dark and ruthless but his sweetness, his delicate touch, she just didn't know how cause she wanted it, and liked it and her body craved for it.

His mouth covered hers and the whole world stopped.

Just stopped spinning, just stopped being, nothing else mattered, nothing was important, there was only him and her. Her body was the one to breach the small space and press to his, her arms went up and clung to his neck as his kiss deepened when he felt her response.

God, she had missed him! She had missed his touch, his smell, his wonderful lips. The tip of her tongue slid across his lower lip, shivering at the pleasure such a small thing gave her.

'Caroline...' He whispered her name like a prayer against her mouth.

Their lips, tongues, teeth, moved hungrily against each other for long unending moments. With her body pressed between the door and his own body, it was all too obvious how much his body desired hers and yet while his kisses were fierce, urgent, and made her feel like they could easily set her body on fire and his hands roamed in her hair and down her back there was still a gentleness to his touch that left her breathless more than anything else. His lips had caught her breath, her senses, her very balance and sent them spinning away. She was totally surrounded by _him_. They were touching from head to toe and still it didn't seem enough. Their bodies just couldn't seem to get close enough. A tremor passed through her and she knew it wasn't only desire but also fear. She was scared of what she felt, of how he made her feel. She didn't want to think about it, this couldn't be happening, she couldn't let it happen...and yet she didn't think she had the strength to stop it. She didn't want to stop.

Was he right? Was this the reason she was here? Was her heart trying to tell her something?

His lips where on her neck again and he whispered hoarsely one word in her ear. 'Stay...'

And then he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her to him. Enveloping her in his warm embrace like he had never done before. She gasped without a sound at how good it felt as she tightly hugged him back. How safe it made her feel, happy...belonging. Like she had just come home. She wished she could make the whole world go away and just live in this moment forever.

She closed her eyes more tightly and felt the tears coming down her face. He moved his head and suddenly he stilled. He had felt her tears against his own cheek.

'Why the tears?'

She slowly opened her eyes and looked in his, so close to hers. 'I'm...afraid...'

'Of me...?'

'Yes.'

'No...' He touched his nose against hers. 'But you just said it...you know I'd never hurt you, so what you're really afraid of is your own feelings.'

She sniffed. '...Tyler.'

'No! No, no!' He shouted while hitting the door behind her with his palms open. She heard the wood crack and break even as she hunched her head between her shoulders in automatic defense. 'You don't love him, you don't! Not anymore! Not when you kiss me the way you just did right now! Not when I feel your body come alive the moment we touch!'

She shook her head, tears still coming down, 'That doesn't mean...'

'How can you keep lying to yourself like that?' He took a long deep breath inside and then his hands cupped her face. 'Sweetheart, it's all right...'

She looked in his eyes, his face blurred through her tears. Her thoughts, her whole mind completely dazed. Could there really be any truth to what he was saying? She had always been so sure...

And yet lately, her thoughts had strayed in ways that had confused her...going back into her own life had proven so much harder than it should have been...like she kept missing something vital to her...could it be that...

'Caroline.' He smiled softly at her. Some of her thoughts must have shown in her eyes cause his eyes warmed up with light as he looked in hers. 'This is the...Damn it!' Suddenly he released her face and took his cell phone from the pocket inside his jacket.

'What?' He barked in the phone. 'Elijah...' His thumb caressed her cheek before taking a few steps from her to talk to his brother.

Caroline pressed her lips together and took breaths from her nose to calm herself. Her hand went to the door knob and she was about to turn it. She looked at Klaus profile, his head lowered down as he talked on the phone and then let the knob go. She couldn't keep running away. She had to understand what was going on inside her head...and heart.

'I knew it! So, it's as we thought...good, good.' Klaus voice sounded satisfied. 'Finally...we have her. See you soon.' He ended the call and turned to look at her again. 'Elijah got the witch...'

She gave him a little nod. 'That's great! Where...how did he finally find her?'

He smirked. 'He didn't have to...he just followed her here.'

'She was coming to Mystic Falls...' She frowned with confusion, 'that's strange considering to how much trouble Tony went through to keep her hidden and she just comes here on her own like this...'

'Tony convinced her to come.' He said quietly as he came close to her once more. 'but we should be...'

'I don't understand.' She interrupted him.

Klaus gave a little sigh. 'Tony wants her to try and save the wolf, the one I compelled, his mind...memories, whatever...'

'How do you know that?' Her frown grew deeper. 'Wait...to your brother you said, _it's as we thought_, so you knew this would happen?'

'It was a plausible good guess.' He took a step closer to her again. 'What does any of this matter, we have her, that's all that counts.'

'No, you said you knew...how did you know?' She insisted, there was something she didn't understand.

He sighed heavily, like he was bored. 'When I compelled the wolf, he told me this story of how Tony found them one by one and cared for them and bla bla bla...I knew I could use that...his love for his pack...'

'Wait!' Her eyes narrowed, 'Does this mean...are you telling me you knew this from the start that you...' Her breath hitched and he raised his eye brows at her.

'You lied to me...' She whispered.

He frowned at her. 'What?'

'You lied to me. You told me you saved Elena...'

'I did.'

'No. No, you...you used her!' Her mouth opened up in utter surprise, 'You...you needed a way to give them back the wolf...of course, it's why you compelled him so bad, you wanted them to _need_ the witch in order to save him...but you had to do it without them suspecting...' a trembling hand went to her mouth, as the story unfolded in her head, 'you were at the camp ...it's why you kept going there, you were looking for a way...'

She felt her breath thicken like it was harder to make it leave her body. 'You used Elena's kidnapping as a way to do that...oh my God how could I have been so stupid? I really thought ...you let me think...that's why you didn't even care about the stake...you already had what you really wanted...'

His eyebrows met in a deep frown but she shot him one just as fierce.

'I could help Elena and I did! What does it matter if there was more than one gain to it!'

'It matters to me!_ It matters...TO ME_!' She shouted at him, her eyes large as she pointed at herself with both her forefingers. 'You looked in my eyes and told me you _saved_ her, I thanked you for it, I really thought...and you _knew_ how much that would mean to me...you knew...and you pretended ...of course, you saw...my weakness and you used it right? cause that's what you do!'

'You're blowing this out of proportion!' He growled at her.

'Really?' She snorted, 'then why not tell me the truth from the start?'

'You know why!' He openly frowned at her. 'I couldn't risk you telling Tyler. It's the same as with your phone call...'

'No it's not!' She denied angrily. 'I was worried from my best friend's life...you? you didn't want to risk ruining your plan and of course you also saw it as a way to...you deceived me on purpose...Oh my God!'

'Caroline!' He growled her name with impatience.

'Did you stop to think for a moment what would have happened if you had been wrong?' She kept shouting at him, ignoring how his chin was jutting out. 'If Tony had seen through your ...trick...they would have killed her...did you think for a second of the danger you put her in...of course not! What do you care!' She laughed without mirth, as she angrily brushed the tears away. 'And you even had the audacity to play the hero card with me.'

'That was all your doing...and I told you they are not just his pack for Tony, they are his family!'

'Is that your justification?' Her trembling fingers passed through her hair. 'Have you any idea of how much...I actually defended you with my friends...but I'm so stupid! My God, so stupid! I let myself believe...'

'Stop it!' His hands grabbed her upper arms hard. 'You and I both know that this is not about Elena...she's safe with her beloved Salvatores. This is about you holding on to this...this thing, using yet another excuse so as not to have to admit to yourself that you have feelings for me...'

'Feelings?' She hissed at him as she pushed him away. 'What feelings? NO!'

'Yes!' he roared, then stopped and took a few deep breaths to calm himself. 'Just a moment ago, before my brother called, I could see it in your eyes, you were finally admitting to yourself what I've been telling you all along...and it scared you...again...like it did the night of the picnic, you could feel it then too.'

She shook her head violently, wisps of hair clinging to her tear stained cheeks.

'First it was the spell now this...my God, is it...is it really so very...horrible for you, so impossible to...to admit _even_ to yourself that you could actually...feel something for me?'

She turned tears-filled eyes up to find his, looking angrily in hers but with a touch of vulnerability he couldn't hide.

'How could I ever feel anything for someone like you? Who would?!' She spat through her teeth. 'I tried to reach out to you and this is how you repay me? I_ refuse _to let myself care. I'm done with you!' She saw the pain her words caused in his eyes and she didn't care. He had hurt her too. 'And you just reminded me why, so thank you. Thank you for reminding me exactly of who you are, before I made the biggest mistake of my life and hated myself forever for it!'

She turned to open the door and leave but it slammed right back shut and she was once more trapped between the door and Klaus's body as he gripped her arms and turned her to look at him once more.

For a long moment he just stared back at her his eyes fierce, his fingers painfully digging in her flesh. Then he went completely still, like a cold statue standing right next to her. Slowly, he released her and took two steps backwards from her.

'Finally. Finally you let me see what the problem was from the start.' His voice was calm but she could hear the anger brewing underneath, 'Of course...how could you have feelings for the original hybrid?...to actually care for the monster who killed so many and hurt even more? What would that make you? What would your friends say? How would they react?' He said harshly, coldly, 'So I was wrong. The idea doesn't scare you. You kept fighting against it cause the idea disgusts you...I'm unworthy of your feelings...or even unworthy of any feelings at all, right? RIGHT?!' His eyes shone golden for an angry moment and she gasped, unable to tear her eyes away cause right then she knew she was seeing him at his most vulnerable. His eyes revealed that this was his Achilles' heel. He feared he was unworthy of anyone's feelings. Her heart twitched painfully but she refused to listen to why it hurt to see that look in his eyes. And a moment later it was all gone. She could see the walls building in his eyes, shutting any emotion out and he looked at her with a coldness she had never seen before, not even the night Tyler had tried to get her out of this very house.

'So what is it you want to hear me say? That destroying whoever threatens me or my family is what matters most to me and that I will do whatever it takes to see this witch dead? Yes.' He answered his own question with a small smile. 'That I saw a way to turn Elena's kidnapping to my advantage and I used it? Yes, I did. That I knew that doing so, and letting you keep the stake would also help me...look good in your eyes? Yes, again.' He spread his arms wide. 'Yes, this is me, Caroline. This is who I am and you have always known it...from the start. Even before you came to live here with me and more so then, you have come to know me, I never lied about who I was.'

Reminding her of the weeks she had spent here with him made her want to scream out with pain.

'Well then the mistake was mine.' She forced her tone to match his. 'I actually believed you could do something selfless, even when Bonnie, when everyone kept telling me you would never change, I still...but...where is he? Where is that man I spent hours with, here in this house?'

His cold eyes bore in hers. 'He's right here.'

She stared at him, her eyes glistening. 'I don't see him...I wonder if he ever truly existed.'

'You don't see him because you only see what you want to see...what suits you, the same with what you feel...it's all, what suits you, what keeps you in your safe, little world.' He snarled at her, 'you are nothing but a weak, frightened, little girl!'

She shook her head and tears filled her eyes once more. 'I really thought that the humanity I saw in you was enough to save you.'

'Save me?' He repeated as if it was a disgusting word. 'Save me from what? I don't need nor want to be saved! And I'm sure I never said or did anything to make you believe that. This is who I am. Just like this. Take it or leave it.'

'I leave it.' She hissed at him before opening the door and slamming it in his face behind her.

She rushed to her car and climbing in drove away so fast that she must have left parts of her tires on the road. She stopped in front of her house not knowing how she got there. She was choking for air and no matter how hard she tried she was unable to breath in. She got out of the car but instead of going in, ran behind the house, towards the forest not caring about the wolves or anything else. She had to find an outlet for all the anger inside her. The world took on a red tint as she ran, hitting tree trunks, breaking branches and uprooting whole trees while her fangs prickled her lower lip.

She didn't know how long afterwards she finally stopped, her body completely drained of energy for the time being, her hands bloodied. Her eyes were dry, she refused to let one tear come down for him or for her own stupidity. Neither deserved her tears.

She screamed at the top of her lungs but nothing seemed to help, the anger still burned inside her.

Then she started laughing under her breath and then louder, hysterically. As she remembered how Bonnie had tried to warn her but she hadn't wanted to see. She had actually believed...Damn! Her hands went up, her fingers pressing against her skull. Her head seemed about to explode with million different thoughts mixed up all together.

She took a deep breath in and then released it slowly. Her eyes looked up and glanced at the stars twinkling peacefully above, from between the leaves.

'I'm done.' She said quietly as she let the anger go, and the jumbled thoughts to go quiet in her mind, her body to relax.

_He's right here..._

She closed her eyes and frowned. A lone thought seemed to want to form at the back of her head, it was like a lithe tapping there, like a caged bird that wanted to be free. And an uneasy strange feeling seemed about to spread over her heart.

Her body stiffened once more before the thought could form and she stopped it. She opened her eyes again. Whatever that thought was, she didn't want to hear it. She felt it would make her doubt herself once more and she had had enough of that. What more proof did she need? She asked herself as she let the anger burn inside her once more.

Anger. That was the key. Anger would keep her focused. Anger would help her keep everything at bay. Until everything was back under control.

Getting up she sped all the way back from where she had come. She entered her room some time later and threw herself on the bed.

'I'm done.' She repeated to herself before closing her eyes and letting all the exhaustion take over her body. She fell asleep unaware that tears finally fell from between her closed lids.


End file.
